FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Find answers to common questions about First Water purification systems, emergency water preparedness, deployment, applications, testing, and supporting equipment.
GENERAL
What is First Water?
First Water provides emergency water purification systems and supporting equipment designed to help critical facilities, government agencies, emergency responders, and communities maintain access to potable water during water disruptions. Our solutions include portable and fixed water purification systems as well as equipment for water storage, containment, treatment, and distribution.
Who uses First Water systems?
First Water systems are used by organizations that need dependable access to potable water during emergencies and water disruptions. First Water equipment supports more than 800 hospitals, all branches of the U.S. military, the U.S. State Department, and numerous state and local government, public health, and emergency response agencies.
Our systems are also designed for correctional facilities, long-term care facilities, universities, corporate campuses, field hospitals, base camps, and other operations where water availability is critical.
What situations are First Water systems designed for?
First Water systems are designed to support water contingency planning and emergency response when normal water service is unavailable or compromised. Applications include natural disasters, water main breaks, municipal water disruptions, emergency response operations, field hospitals, base camps, shelter operations, and continuity planning for critical facilities.
Does First Water only provide water purification equipment?
No. Water purification is only one part of an effective emergency water plan. First Water also offers supporting products for source-water storage, clean-water storage, chlorination, distribution, and individual water containment.
These products include Supply Stations, AquaBags, NexGen® Reusable Bladders, Clean Water Bladders, Filling Stations, and Flex-Chlorinators.
WATER PURIFICATION
What types of contaminants are First Water purification systems designed to address?
First Water’s purification technology uses multiple levels of treatment designed to address sediment, taste and odor, and microbiological contaminants including viruses, bacteria, and cysts.
The treatment process combines sediment filtration, carbon block filtration, proprietary virus-media filtration, and Class A ultraviolet disinfection to provide multiple levels of protection.
What type of source water can First Water systems use?
First Water purification systems are designed to produce potable water from compromised freshwater sources. Depending on the application and system configuration, source water may come from available freshwater supplies during an emergency or water disruption.
The FW-1200, when paired with a Supply Station, can utilize available sources such as fire trucks, hydrants, swimming pools, and other freshwater supplies.
Can First Water systems purify saltwater?
First Water’s current purification systems are designed for freshwater sources. They are not desalination systems and should not be considered a solution for converting seawater into potable water.
How does First Water’s purification technology work?
Water passes through multiple levels of treatment:
1. Sediment filtration removes dirt and debris.
2. Carbon block filtration addresses taste and odor.
3. Virus-media filtration targets viruses, bacteria, and cysts.
4. Class A ultraviolet disinfection provides an additional, redundant level of disinfection.
First Water’s proprietary virus-filtration technology is derived from NASA technology, and the filtration process is designed to be effective against microbiological contaminants as small as 0.019 microns.
Are First Water purification systems independently tested?
Yes. First Water’s water purification systems are independently certified to NSF protocols P231 and P248, which establish microbiological water-purifier testing standards for domestic and military applications.
Testing certificates, laboratory information, and U.S. Army field-test information are available in the First Water Document Library.
How much water can First Water purification systems produce?
First Water offers systems for a range of water-production requirements.
FW-120: Produces up to 120 gallons per hour, or 2 gallons per minute.
FW-300-M: Produces up to 5 gallons per minute and approximately 7,000 gallons per day.
FW-1200: Produces up to approximately 28,000 gallons per day.
Multiple FW-1200 systems can also operate together when additional water-production capacity is required.
Which First Water system is right for my organization?
The appropriate system depends on factors such as the amount of water required, the number of people being supported, the intended application, available source water, portability requirements, and whether the system will be used in a fixed facility or field environment.
First Water offers systems ranging from the highly portable FW-120 to the high-volume FW-1200, along with configurations designed specifically for healthcare facilities and mobile emergency response.
DEPLOYMENT & APPLICATIONS
Are First Water systems portable?
Yes. First Water offers portable purification systems specifically designed for rapid deployment.
The FW-120 is contained in a rugged transport case and weighs approximately 60 pounds. The FW-300-M provides higher-volume purification in a ruggedized mobile case. The FW-1200-M provides significantly greater production while remaining suitable for transportation and field deployment.
First Water also offers permanently mounted configurations for fixed facilities.
Does First Water offer a solar-powered water purification system?
Yes. The FW-120-MS is a solar-powered version of the FW-120 designed to provide additional flexibility for field operations.
Can First Water systems be permanently installed in a facility?
Yes. First Water offers permanently mounted versions of its purification technology for fixed-building applications.
The FW-120-P is available for fixed locations, while the FW-1200-P is designed to support larger facilities such as hospitals and correctional facilities.
Can multiple First Water systems operate together?
Yes. Multiple FW-1200 systems can work together to increase water-production capacity. This allows organizations to scale emergency water production based on their operational requirements.
For hospitals and correctional facilities, an appropriate number of units can be configured to create potable-water distribution points and support critical facility operations.
Can First Water systems support hospitals during a water outage?
Yes. First Water has developed water-contingency configurations specifically for healthcare and correctional facilities.
Hospitals require water for much more than drinking. Critical requirements can include handwashing, food service, ice production, laboratories, dialysis, and other facility operations.
First Water’s Healthcare and Correctional Facility Configurations are designed to help facilities identify the appropriate quantity of equipment based on facility bed count and establish a comprehensive water-contingency solution.
Are First Water’s healthcare configurations only for hospitals?
No. Although these configurations were developed primarily for hospitals and correctional facilities, they can also be applied to other facilities responsible for supporting a population.
Examples include long-term care facilities, universities, corporate campuses, and other fixed facilities that need to prepare for potential water disruptions.
Can First Water equipment support mobile emergency response?
Yes. First Water’s mobile purification systems are designed for field deployment and emergency-response applications.
Potential applications include victim and first-responder support, public health response, mobile medical operations, shelters, field hospitals, strike camps, base camps, and community water-distribution points.
How can purified water be distributed to a large number of people?
First Water offers several supporting products for clean-water distribution.
The Filling Station can provide up to eight simultaneous filling points for containers. Individual outlets can also be directed to applications such as food preparation, showering, or other uses.
First Water also offers AquaBags, potable-water bladders, and other containment solutions for storing and distributing purified water.
WATER STORAGE & SUPPORTING EQUIPMENT
What options does First Water offer for potable-water storage?
First Water offers several storage options designed for different emergency-response requirements.
NexGen® Reusable Bladders are available in 125- and 500-gallon capacities and use a reusable protective outer shell with a replaceable food-grade inner liner.
Clean Water Bladders are available in 300-, 600-, and 2,000-gallon capacities and are constructed using XR-3 PW membrane designed for potable-water containment.
What is an AquaBag?
The First Water AquaBag is a 1.5-gallon portable water container made from three-ply food-grade laminate plastic.
AquaBags store flat and can be filled during an emergency to provide individuals with a convenient way to carry clean water. They are designed to hold approximately one person’s daily emergency water supply.
What is the First Water Filling Station?
The Filling Station is a clean-water distribution manifold that can be connected downstream of a First Water purification system or another potable-water source.
It provides eight filling spouts, allowing multiple people to fill containers simultaneously. Individual outlets can also be redirected using drinking-water hose for other water needs.
What is the NexGen® Reusable Bladder?
The NexGen® Reusable Bladder combines a durable reusable outer shell with a disposable food-grade inner liner.
Instead of sterilizing the entire bladder after deployment, the inner liner can be replaced before the next use. This makes the system particularly useful for government agencies, fire departments, hospitals, and emergency-response organizations that may store their equipment for extended periods between deployments.
TRAINING, DOCUMENTATION & SUPPORT
Does First Water provide training?
Yes. On-site training is available to complement First Water purification systems. Training can help organizations prepare personnel to properly deploy and operate their equipment when a water disruption occurs.
Where can I find First Water product manuals and quick-start guides?
Product manuals, quick-start guides, testing documentation, white papers, and other materials are available through the First Water Document Library.
Available documentation currently includes materials for the FW-120, FW-300, FW-1200, and Flex-Chlorinator.
Are operating videos available?
Yes. The First Water Document Library includes a Video Library with product and operational videos.
Available topics include FW-120 operations, FW-1200 operations, product overviews, hospital water-main-break scenarios, fixed facilities, fire-truck mounting, and First Water purification technology.
Where can I find First Water testing documentation?
First Water testing documentation is available through the Document Library. Resources include current and legacy testing certificates, a Spanish testing certificate, and information from a U.S. Army field test.
View Testing & Certifications ›
How can I get help selecting a First Water system?
First Water can help organizations evaluate their water needs and determine which purification systems and supporting products are appropriate for their application.
Contact First Water to discuss your facility, emergency-response requirements, water-production needs, and intended application.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Every organization’s emergency water requirements are different. Whether you’re developing a water-contingency plan for a hospital, government agency, emergency-response organization, campus, or other critical facility, First Water can help you identify the equipment appropriate for your application.