The Myanmar Red Cross Society has been purifying and distributing clean drinking water sourced from the Ayeyarwady River to earthquake-affected communities in Sagaing Region since April 8, according to a statement from the organization.

Water purification efforts began in the first week of April, with technical teams setting up equipment along the riverbank. The system, once installed, can produce between 3,000 and 5,000 liters of purified water per hour, with a maximum capacity of up to 10,000 liters per hour depending on the quality of the raw water.

“The water purification process took about three days to set up,” said Professor Dr. Tin Maung Hlaing, full-time executive officer of the Myanmar Red Cross Society. “On April 8 alone, we were able to produce and distribute around 72,000 liters of clean water, enough to supply approximately 4,800 people based on an average of 15 liters per person.”

The purification process includes building a temporary dam to pump water from the Ayeyarwady River into 25,000-liter holding tanks. The water is treated with alum to begin purification, followed by chemical additives for settling. It is then filtered and finally treated with chlorine to ensure it is safe for drinking.

The Red Cross teams are prioritizing distribution to the most vulnerable individuals and communities facing severe water shortages due to the recent earthquake.