Food Preparation. Use potable water to prepare food, sanitize kitchen utensils, and clean individual
mess equipment. To reduce water requirements, use disposable eating utensils with B-rations or use
MREs frequently.
Laundering. Laundering is done at the rear of the division. Climatic conditions and troop health set the
requirement. Under normal conditions laundering may be done weekly. Base laundry water
requirements on one change of clothing per man per week. Potable water is not required. Develop
hospital laundry requirements separately.
Medical Staff. Division medical personnel use water for wash down of ambulance interiors and litters,
patient cleanup, and instrument and medical personnel washing. Use only potable water for medical
use.
PART B - COORDINATE AIR/GROUND RECONNAISSANCE
Responsibilities. The MMC in the DISCOM, COSCOM, and TAACOM is responsibility 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. 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 source database. This database can provide detailed surface and ground hydrologic information for
selected areas of the world. The reconnaissance team will also use the WQAU on all missions to determine
field water quality.
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.
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.
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QM 4922
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