#USA #Chicago #Clean Water #Hurricane Melissa #AWG Contracting

Resilience in Crisis: The Water Solution after Hurricane Melissa

In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica with relentless winds reaching 195 miles per hour, leaving behind a trail of devastation. Power grids failed, and conventional water systems collapsed across the island, leaving many communities without access to clean drinking water. However, amidst this chaos, an innovative solution emerged high in the mountains of Cockpit Country: a solar-powered atmospheric water generator from AWG Contracting.

This remarkable technology was designed to convert humid air into clean, potable water, providing almost 400 gallons daily for the autonomous community of Accompong, even as the nation’s infrastructure lay in ruins. Moses West, the founder and CEO of AWG Contracting, expressed his dedication to life-saving solutions, stating, "We engineered this technology for one purpose: to save lives. The limits of our engineering were truly put to the test by Hurricane Melissa. The continued operation of the machine while everything else failed is a testament to the resilience renewable solutions can offer."

Chief Richard Currie of Accompong praised the system, noting its remarkable durability despite being tossed by hurricane-force winds that even overturned 30,000-pound steel containers. "Within just 48 hours after the units were righted, the system was back online, producing clean, solar-powered water. This not only highlights a technological triumph but also represents a humanitarian victory."

The atmospheric water generator operated entirely on solar energy and demonstrated remarkable resilience against the Category 5 storm. After extreme winds had turned over the 40-foot container housing both the generator and solar panels, local technicians, guided remotely by AWG's team, dried out the electrical compartments, replaced minor components, and restored full functionality in mere hours.

The Accompong installation represents Jamaica's only atmospheric water system solely powered by renewable energy. It's a living proof that decentralized, off-grid infrastructure can withstand extreme weather conditions while providing life-saving resources. In the context of expanding water security, AWG Contracting has been delivering safe water solutions where conventional systems have failed, from Flint, Michigan, to Puerto Rico and Jackson, Mississippi.

Global adaptation planners view this atmospheric water technology as a crucial model for building resilience against droughts, pollution, and storm damage. West emphasized its broad potential, stating, "If we can produce water during a hurricane, we can do it anywhere. This technology provides communities with control over the earth's most basic resource, utilizing nothing more than sunlight and air."

Noteworthy is that the system emits no carbon, uses no chemicals, and requires no piping or extraction from groundwater, making it a portable and sustainable solution for humanitarian and emergency response worldwide.

About AWG Contracting

AWG Contracting is at the forefront of designing and manufacturing solar-powered atmospheric water systems. The company is expanding its American production facilities through a $25 million clean manufacturing initiative aimed at establishing deployable, sustainable water infrastructure globally.

About The Moses West Foundation

The Moses West Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing renewable atmospheric water systems to communities lacking access to safe drinking water. Founded by Army Ranger and engineer Moses West, the foundation has implemented life-saving water technology in underserved and disaster-affected regions across the Americas and the Caribbean. This resource represents an infinite, 100% renewable, reliable, and resilient solution tailored to specific community needs.