The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 demonstrated its Water-on-Wheels Mobile Emergency Water Treatment System (WOW Cart) Sept. 18 at Clinton State Park in Lawrence, Kansas, highlighting a portable treatment option for communities responding to water emergencies.

The demonstration was held during National Preparedness Month and brought together federal partners, local public health officials and water-focused nonprofits. EPA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also highlighted the importance of coordination and preparedness for protecting drinking water supplies during disasters.

The WOW Cart is approximately the size of a shopping cart and can produce up to 10,000 gallons of treated water per day. EPA said the system can provide water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and medical triage following emergencies and can supplement or replace bottled water supplies.

EPA Region 7, the Kansas Rural Water Association and WaterStep provided information on water sampling and testing, the WOW Cart and technical assistance during the event. EPA also displayed its Mobile Command Post and Mobile Drinking Water Lab, which can be deployed during environmental emergencies.

The WOW Cart was developed through an EPA partnership with WaterStep and has been used since 2020 during tornado, hurricane and flood responses in the U.S. and internationally. The system is intended to provide communities with a deployable source of treated water when conventional water infrastructure is disrupted.