Committees

   » Solar Committee (Thailand)

   » Bridge Committee (El Salvador)

   » Community Service Committee

   » Fundraising Committee

  Solar Committee

The main goal of this project is to provide a scalable, low-cost water purification system that uses the sun to pasteurize water. Each unit will have a simple user interface and will require minimal maintenance. With the purification of water, economic hardship, brought on by the requirement to purchase bottled water, can be reduced. By training local tradesmen/entrepreneurs to build such a system, these can be created and sold to other communities in the region, thereby promoting improved regional health as well. The entrepreneurs themselves can prosper from the sales of these units. Mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that this technology remains in the public domain.

Committee Leader: Ronn Friedlander - ronnf@eden.rutgers.edu

Background:

This village has running water pumped from the ground, however it is not drinkable. The village used to use well water (5 – 7 meters from the surface) but the water quality was poor and had an odor. They then drilled down 44 meters for water. This water smelled even worse and turned their white laundry yellow. They then drilled down 88 meters below the surface. This water does not have an odor, however, when left running, black particles will collect on the sides of the buckets or whatever container the water is contained in. When this water is boiled, white residue will form on the insides of the pots. The water cannot be used for drinking or cooking, which forces the villagers to purchase bottled water. They do, however, use this water to bathe themselves and to wash their clothes and dishes because they have no other choice. The water turns their white clothes yellow. This water has never been tested. No one from the local clinics or government has ever come to investigate the water situation in this village. Given the three (or more) potential sources of water for this village, there is much potential for remediation. Testing will be required to determine the nature of the water quality problems.

Detailed Project Description:

In the village of Nong Bua, acquiring potable water has been a chronic problem. The members of this small village have attempted to address this issue by pumping ground water and drilling progressively deeper wells, to no avail. Due to various observed deficiencies in the water quality, none of these attempts has been adequate and villagers are forced to purchase bottled water for drinking, with well water used only for washing clothes or dishes and bathing.

A community of 143 households, Nong Bua is comprised predominantly of people of the Khon Muang (northern Thai) ethnicity. The jobs held by the people of Nong Bua are primarily informal and range from farming to selling goods. The average income per household is around 40,000 Baht ($US 1,270) per year, which implies that there would be much benefit in reducing dependence on costly bottled water.

The water in this area has never been tested and no one from the local clinics or government has come to evaluate the water in Nong Bua. The general health outlook for the community is positive. There has been no recent reporting of infant mortality, and it is suspected that people are not getting ill from the water (since they avoid drinking it). Generally, giardia is prevalent and illnesses such as cold, flu and stomachache are reported by the local clinic. It appears that the introduction of a simple, low-cost water purification system would have positive results on public health and economics.

The students of the Rutgers chapter of Engineers Without Borders (RU-EWB) are developing a simple water purification system that uses heat from the sun to pasteurize the water. The system must guarantee that water is potable, it must be usable by the locals and it must be sustainable. The existing design has been developed by the RU-EWB members and consists of three main components—an input, a heat exchanger and a solar heater. Each part has been considered in the context of our constraints—namely cost, materials and processing time. By exploiting properties of simple local materials (such as reflectivity of sheet metal, insulation values of rice husks and functionality of thermostatic radiator vales, for example), it is possible to create a water purification system that can serve a moderate number of people (~30). These systems should be relatively small and modular so that many systems can be put in place in parallel. A slow sand filtration system may also be necessary, depending on the type of contamination present.

The initial assessment must include a thorough evaluation of the water quality to determine the nature of the pollution (chemical, biological, other). This, along with a survey of local materials and rough cost, would determine the feasibility of remediation.

With the help of a local NGO called Warm Heart, we will be well positioned to take on this project. The NGO has a good working relationship with the local government and can help us communicate with local health and economic officials. Furthermore, they will provide us with necessary translators and accommodations to facilitate this project.

If the system design is simple, successful and reproducible, a local entrepreneur could start a business of making these water purification units and selling them to local villages. In the spirit of microenterprise, this could not only help the entrepreneur to gain capital, but could also promote the better health of hill tribe communities. This may create a cycle of improvement for the region.

Needs Adressed:

1. Water Treatment
2. Health and Safety
3. Micro-Enterprise

  Bridge Committee

Focusing on making designs for a walking bridge in El Salvador. The purpose is to help children get to school during the rainy season when the river is too high to walk across.

Committee Leaders: Tom Nangle - nangle@eden.rutgers.edu ; Diane Manibo - manibo@eden.rutgers.edu

The Community:
The community of Chagalapa, Canton El Sacramento, is located in the department of Ahuachapan in Western El Salvador, which is 10 minutes away from the Guatemalan border and is right off the highway Littoral. It is situated between the mountains of the national park El Imposible and the Pacific Ocean. The river El Sacramento runs through the community and is a priceless resource to many in the community who use it for bathing, washing clothes, and drinking water. There are approximately 80 households in Chagalapa. The primary sources of income are their cattle farming and their cornfields, which only pays $4/day. They use American dollars here as currency.

The Project:
Winter's rain lasts from April-October, making the river El Sacramento rise. Because the river cuts through the community, a danger exists for anyone living above the river, including children wanting to attend school. In the winter, the road above is only accessible by horse and some 4-wheel drive vehicles, which no one in the community has. This also contributes to the lack of attendance at school during the rainy season. A bridge is needed that can be vehicle and walking accessible throughout the winter.

The location of the community to nearby town, Cara Sucia, makes access to materials very easy. Contributions from the community discussed have been fundraised through events, as well as labor for the project. There has also been discussion of support from the mayor's office in funding and/or transport of materials.

The Benefits:
-Improved access to local economies and markets
- Emergency management
-Improved education

The Specifications:

1. El Sacramento River runs north-south
2. Road cuts through east-west

During Rainy Season – (April-October/November)

1. river grows up to 20 meters east-west
2. grows up to 3 meters deep

During Dry Season
-road is 6 meters east-west (shown in pictures)

-bridge should be able to hold a big pick-up truck with cows in it
-bridge only needs to be width of one lane (12 feet)

Environmental Constraints:
-rocky terrain
-landslides

  Community Service Committee

Focused on general volunteering locally and national. This semester, the committee has participated in local cleaning efforts and volunteered in a nearby soup kitchen. RUEWB had also teamed up with NJPIRG's Water Watch group to travel to New Orleans for a week in order to help the relief.

  Fundraising Committee

Devoted to raising funds for current projects and upcoming events. The committee is responsible for working with corporations and local businesses.