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Section I
RESPONSIBILITIES AND PLANNING

RESPONSIBILITIES

The MMC in the DISCOM, COSCOM, and TAACOM is responsible for providing detailed information concerning the status of water supply throughout its respective areas to the supporting water unit. The supporting water unit, in coordination with the appropriate MMC and rear area terrain manager in the rear CP, directs the water supply section leader to seek new water supply operational sites in support of tactical combat operations. The water supply section leader is responsible for supervising and performing reconnaissance of new operational sites for water supply operations. Water reconnaissance is a special type of survey made to gather information about potential water purification sites and bulk water storage and distribution sites.

PLANNING

Proper planning is essential to site selection and should be foremost in the minds of the reconnaissance personnel. The planning for a water supply site, whether it be for purification or storage/distribution, begins with mission guidance from the tactical commander. Project water requirements to support deployed forces and assign an operational area. For more information on computing unit daily water needs, see FM 10-52, Chapter 3. Whenever possible, include water supply operations within larger logistics complexes, bases, or base clusters. At the very least, laundry, bath, and personnel decontamination units should be near water supply operations for mutual support. To enhance resupply operations, collocate Class I and water points.

Reconnaissance Team

The water section leader may supervise the site reconnaissance, or he may direct one of his water purification NCOs to lead the team. In either case, a water treatment specialist, MOS 77W, must be present. A representative of the command surgeon should be present on the reconnaissance, if possible. A water detection team from the Corps of Engineers may be available. They have access to the water resource data base. This data base can provide detailed surface and ground hydrologic information for selected areas of the world.

Equipment

On reconnaissance for purification sites, take the WQAU and the WQAS-E. During this type of reconnaissance, analyze the raw water for turbidity, TDS, pH, and temperature. On reconnaissance for storage and distribution sites, you do not need specific equipment. However, the team must know the size of, and level requirements for, the PWS/DS.

Intelligence

The G2/S2 is the source for information concerning ground/air reconnaissance and surveillance, imagery (photos), human intelligence from interrogations of EPWs, and other sources of terrain and technical intelligence. Also, the G2/S2 provides fallout predictions from enemy-employed nuclear weapons and coordinates chemical agent detection, biological agent sampling, and radiological surveys with the chemical section. Finally, the G2/S2 coordinates and consolidates the requirements for weather and terrain analysis support.

Section II
AIR/GROUND SITE RECONNAISSANCE

AIR RECONNAISSANCE

When time permits and equipment is available, the G3/S3 may decide to have an air reconnaissance before the ground survey. This may be done with any type of aircraft. It is an effective, reliable means to get data quickly on sources over a large area. A visual or photographic air survey may disclose changes not shown on maps. On the way to possible sites, the reconnaissance team should note routes of communication, cover, and concealment and protection from encirclement, infiltration, or attack. The ground reconnaissance can confirm the observations of the area. If you use a helicopter for the air reconnaissance, complete the air and ground surveys at the same time if the proposed sites are within secured areas and the terrain permits the helicopter adequate landing space. Air reconnaissance is limited by bad weather, available aircraft, and security problems.

GROUND RECONNAISSANCE

Ground observation is the only sure way to get accurate data for selection of a water point. A sketch of the site made during the ground reconnaissance and keyed to a map can be invaluable. Memory is not enough. Take notes. Whenever possible, complete DA Form 1712-R while the reconnaissance team is still at the site. Detailed information on potential sites is the most important goal.

PURIFICATION SITE RECONNAISSANCE

Water quantity, water quality, accessibility, and site conditions are important requirements for a purification site. They are discussed below.

Water Quantity

Ignore seasonal changes in water quantity unless the information is readily available from native sources or contained in the water resources data base available through the Corps of Engineers. Since reconnaissance teams do not have flow gauges, meters, and measuring devices, use an improvised method to collect data on water flow. The field method is to measure the average cross-sectional area and average velocity of the stream. The formula for calculating the quantity of water is in Appendix A. During the winter in cold regions, reconnaissance teams should use ice augers to determine ice thickness on a potential source. Augers are quicker and safer than axes. The team should also measure the depth of water under the ice. In doing this, the team should measure the depth at several spots because of the variations in the beds of shallow streams and rivers in Arctic regions. Rocky plateau deserts may be cut by dry, steep-walled eroded valleys known as wadis in the Middle East and arroyos or canyons in the United States and Mexico. The narrower of these valleys can be extremely dangerous to men and materiel due to flash flooding after rains, although their flat bottoms and potential for water may be superficially attractive as possible sites.

Water Quality

Water should be of such quality that it can be approved by medical personnel as meeting raw water standards and at the same time be readily purified with assigned water purification equipment. Take four of the five principle analysis tests of water (temperature, turbidity, TDS, pH) for each proposed water purification site. To be considered as a potential water purification site, the raw water must meet the minimum requirements established in TB MED 577. Additionally, check the water source for a distance of two miles for possible sources of pollution and evidence of contamination. Do not locate water purification operations near areas where--

• Sources of pollution exist, such as landfills, agricultural and livestock wastes, industrial and domestic sewage discharges, and POL storage or distribution sites.
• Evidence of contamination exists, such as dead fish or vegetation, excessive algae growth, oil slicks, and sludge deposits.

Accessibility

A water point must be accessible to vehicles and personnel. It should have a good road net with turnarounds, cover and concealment at the water source and distribution area, and an adequate parking/staging area. The roads should be able to withstand, under all weather conditions, the heaviest vehicles using the water point. The purification site should be on a through road when possible, but it should not be on the MSR.

Site Conditions

Where competing potential purification sites meet all the requirements noted above, base your selection of the actual location on the condition of the sites. Consider drainage, security, and adequacy of the bivouac area in that order of importance.

Drainage. The site should be on high, porous ground. Establish the potential for seasonal flooding. The area proposed for the purification equipment must be level. The slope must allow for drainage away from operations, but the distance and degree of slope must be within the raw water pump's capability to provide sufficient flow to the purifiers.

Security. The site should provide cover and concealment. It should be a safe distance from prime artillery and aerial targets. The site should provide security against ground attack and sabotage.

Support required. Water point personnel and security forces need a bivouac area. Factors in site selection are security, facilities, sanitation, and comfort of the troops. The reconnaissance team may not be able to find a site that meets all of these needs. The bivouac area must be at least 100 feet downstream from water purification operations. FM 21-10 gives detailed information on field sanitation for bivouac operations. When practical, water treatment personnel should bivouac as near the water point as possible. This would ensure their availability for work or emergencies.

STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION SITE RECONNAISSANCE

The reconnaissance for a PWS/DS must consider cover and concealment, road nets, dispersion factors, terrain, and site preparation needs. The site must be suitable for the PWS/DS layout. You may be assigned an area of operation, but you must choose the PWS/DS site within that area. You should locate the PWS/DS as close to supported units as dispersion factors, sources of supply, and the tactical situation permit. Use vacated forward sites or existing facilities when you can.

Terrain

The site you choose should be reasonably level and well drained to prevent water from impeding resupply operations. Look for a tank site without slopes, if possible. A large slope may cause filled tanks to roll sideways, backwards, or forward. Put the pumps and hypochlorinators on level ground. Try to place discharge pumps at a lower level than the collapsible tanks to have good suction to the pump.

Security

Concealment is important, also. Select a site that gives adequate cover from enemy observation and attack. Select a site for the collapsible tanks, pumps, and hypochlorinators that is in the woods or in a tree line where the natural shadows disguise the telltale shapes.

Road Nets

Your site should be large enough to meet the needs of supply and distribution plans but not so large that handling operations become inefficient. The site should have easy access to road nets, and at least one road should run through the supply point. However, do not choose a site that is close to important communication and population centers. They are, in most cases, potential enemy targets. There should be two large areas (one in front and one in the rear) for truck parking.

Site Preparation

You may have to expand the supply point. The site you choose should have enough space to add more collapsible tanks and truck parking areas. The three major items of equipment in the PWS/DS are the collapsible tanks, the pumps, and the hypochlorinators. Slope the tank sites gently away from the input side of the tank to help drain the tanks when they are removed. The slope for the tank sites can be more than 3 inches for every 100 feet.

Section III
REPORTS AND DATA SOURCES

REPORTS

Complete DA Form 1712-R for each site surveyed. The supervisor of the reconnaissance team will forward completed forms to the G3/S3 of the tasking unit. Survey an average of three sites for each proposed water point when possible. DA Form 1712-R will be locally reproduced on 8 1/2- by 11-inch paper. A copy for reproduction purposes is located at the back of this manual. Figure 2-1 shows a sample completed form. The report is divided into four sections as follows.

Identification Data

These blocks identify date and time of reconnaissance, the person and unit conducting the reconnaissance, the person and unit receiving the report, and map location of the proposed site.

Water Quantity and Quality Data

These blocks record the following characteristics: type of source, TDS, temperature, turbidity, pH test, and quantity (estimate of total volume or flow rate).

Site Conditions

These blocks record the following site conditions: security (to include cover and concealment, avenues of approach, fields of fire); soil type and drainage; terrain; bivouac potential; and road nets (to include distance from MSR).

Proposed Site Layout

This section uses the form for a sketch of the proposed water point. The sketch must include: location of major pieces of equipment (pumps and purifiers), location of MSR, type and flow of water source, key terrain features, location of bivouac, and distribution plan/route.

DATA SOURCES

Use historical water reconnaissance report forms as guides in planning for future operations. The IPB is an excellent source of information in planning for and conducting water reconnaissance. The G2/S2 has staff responsibility for conducting the IPB. This involves the collection and processing of data, conversion of data into intelligence, and dissemination of this intelligence. This collection and processing activity includes aerial and ground reconnaissance and surveillance; IMINT; HUMINT, including interrogation of EPWs, civilian internees and/or detainees, and refugees; debriefing returned, captured US personnel, escapees, and evaders; exploitation of captured documents and captured materiel; SIGINT; and employment of long-range reconnaissance patrols. All of these are sources of data on the location and availability of potential water supplies, both naturally occurring raw water and man-made facilities.