Team 2:
Agua Para Vivir
[Water For Life]
Drew Johnson
David Nyenhuis
Jason Van Kampen
Hendrik Vanderloo
Our Project
Cuchiverachi, Mexico
Objective
- Promote Healthy Living
• 1st Priority
• Deliver Water to
Dorm
• 2nd Priority
• Improve Hygiene
and Health of the
Community
Trips To Gather Necessary Information
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Trip 1: June 6- June 14, 2009
Trip 2: Jan 26 – Feb 2, 2010
Needs of community
Sources of water
Elevations
GPS coordinates
Water quality
Flow rates of water sources
Water rights
Ground conditions
Available building materials
and pricing
Water Supply
Where to get the water…
• River water
• Ground water
• Rainwater
• Spring water
• Bottled water
Rainwater
Water Supply
Concept
• Rainwater
• Irrigation
• Spring water
• Drinking
• Hygiene
Spring water
Water Supply Systems
Water Supply System
Ground Water Spring
• Spring Features
• Marshy, unable to
locate eye
• Clay soils
• 98 m above dorm
• 1.4 km from dorm
• 2 L/min flow rate
• Community has
approved this
spring for the
dorm’s water
supply
Marshy Area
Flow Direction
Spring Water to Dorm
Capture water from a spring
• Design Features
• Two 15’ trenches
filled with permeable
rock/gravel and 3’
PVC drain tile
• Drainage ditch
upstream of spring to
stop runoff
infiltration
• Cost = $140
Spring Water to Dorm
Settle particles out of water
• Design Features
• Concrete box
• 3’ x 3’ x 1’6”
• 3” walls
• Concrete lid
• 3’1” x 3’1” x 1.5”
• Settles out particles
Ø > 0.001 cm
• Cost = $150
Spring Water to Dorm
Analysis of Water Demand
• Water Demand Estimate for Dorm
• The maximum capacity is 40 kids
• The kids stay for 4 day periods each week
• The average demand for a week is 2,400 L/day
• Water Supply from Spring
• Rough estimate is 2 L/min
• This estimates to about 2,900 L/day
Spring Water to Dorm
Storage Tank to Equalize
Pressure & Flow Variations
• Design Features
• Positioned at an elevation (95 ft
above dorm) that gives at least
40 psi and a flow rate of 7
gal/min
• Ferrocement tank
• Volume of 5,000 L (6.5’
diameter, 5.5’ tall)
• Cost = $400
Water System at Dorm
Water Purification
• Filtration
• CAWST bio-sand filter
• Cost of mold = $185
• Cost per filter (not
including mold) = $20
• Disinfection
• Granular calcium
hypochlorite
• Cost per pound= $2.00
Water System at Dorm
Hot Water System
• Solar Heating Panel
• Copper pipe
• Glass covered
• Circulating Pump
• Heats 20 gal (75 L)
of water to 95ºF in
about 5 hours
• Wood Fired Boiler
• Recommended a
manufactured unit
Rainwater & Irrigation
Water for Community Crops
• Gutters
• 4 plastic storage tanks
(1000 Liters)
• Irrigation to
community fruit trees
and vegetables
• Cost = $930
Hygiene Improvements
Pit Toilets
• One pit toilet per
family
• Lightweight
superstructure
• Concrete block pit
lining
• 3 meters deep by 1.3
meters square
• Cost per latrine = $240
Hygiene Improvements
Education
• CAWST posters
• Educate children about
healthy sanitary
practices
• Easy to understand
• Pictorial
• Spanish and English
Implementation
June 2010
• Phase I
• Cost = $1,500
• Phase II
• Cost = $2,500
• Phase III
• Cost = $6,000
Building the Filter Mold
Steel. Welding. Steel.
• Over 150 lbs of steel
from GR Central Iron
and Steel
• Finished on April 27
• Cost = $185
• Issue: Took longer
than expected
Filter #1
Failure
• Poured filter on May 4
• Problem: Interior mold
stuck in filter
• Solution: Break filter
and retry!
Filter #2
More success, still a failure
• Changes made
• Homemade concrete mix
– as design specified
• Less water
• Pneumatic hammer
• Ground all rough edges
• Lathered on the oil
• Mold didn’t stick
• Crack from mid-pour mix
change
Conclusions
Final Thoughts
• Difficulties we faced
• Data acquisition
• What we learned
• More than engineering
• Design to be built
• What we would have done differently
• Built the prototypes earlier and experimented more
• Plans are in the works to implement the project
Acknowledgments
Thank you!
• Tate Burckhardt, VP, Better Water Industries Inc.
• Professors Leonard De Rooy, Robert Hoeksema, Aubrey
Sykes, & David Wunder, Calvin College
• Phil Jasperse, Metals and Woodshop Technician, Calvin
College
• Ryan Maness, Highways and Hedges Ministries
• Breese Stam, Grand Rapids Engineering Department
• Richard Stam and Lorenzo Dominguez, Salud Para Suchil
• Dan VanderHeide, Project Engineer, Williams and Works
Questions?