Disaster and Drinking Water

If you pay attention to the news, you will notice that after a major national disaster anywhere in the world, one of the first concerns is to provide clean drinking water; otherwise, diseases may take hold and create a second disaster. The Great Flood of 1993 literally flooded the Des Moines Water Works in Iowa, destroying its ability to treat water. This meant that a city of 200,000 people were without a steady supply of clean drinking water. For nineteen days, the National Guard trucked in water from surrounding areas to supply Des Moines residents with water that was safe to drink.