Who's going to make the water?

Most people assume that where there is snow there must be water but nowhere this further from the truth than in Antarctica.  Antarctica is the driest continent on the planet, and the provision of fresh water has remained a constant challenge for expeditioners since the formation of ANARE in 1947. 

 Measuring the depth of the melt lake early in the season.

 Getting freshwater in Antarctica is quite difficult and time consuming.  As a plumber at Casey station for the 12/13 summer season it is one of my primary tasks to ensure the station has enough potable water and it is fit for human consumption.  At Casey we obtain our water by the use of a melt bell which is submerged year round in a frozen lake.  From within the tank house we continually circulate heated water to the melt bell to maintain a pool of water  from which we are able to draw our daily water supplies.

A spare melt bell. 

Pumping out of the frozen lake.  Note how the surface has refrozen around the hoses.

Heated water is continually pumped to the melt bell via these insulated flow and return lines.

Bob and Rob inspecting the progress of the melt.

The melt lake starting to appear.  The green shed is the tank house.

The melt continues....

A big melt in 2006. Photo courtesy of Bob Rowland. 

The heart of the tank house.

It has been quite enjoyable making the water this year, being able to get out into changing landscape every day, walking on a frozen lake until the melt arrived, and to contribute to the general infrastructure to a fantastic community which is Casey Station.