Las Delicias, Las Delicias, El SalvadorEl Salvador

Water Supply Water Supply ProjectProject

Current Project Status, January 2010Richard Cairncross & David Haussler

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

• Overview of Las Delicias Community

• The Need for an Improved Water Supply System

• The EWB Process

• Preliminary Assessment Trip – July 2009

• Design Options

Las Delicias, El SalvadorLas Delicias, El Salvador

Las Delicias

Las Delicias, El SalvadorLas Delicias, El Salvador• Community Facts

– ~600 homes, 3000 residents– 15 miles NW of San Salvador– On Western Slopes of Volcan San

Salvador– Homes Spread Out, but Las Delicias is

Bordered by Several Similar Communities

– Water Storage & Piping System installed 20 years ago With Water Delivery by Truck

– Well and Pump Installed < 5 years ago– Residents are Poor (<$10/week

income)– Community Well-Organized through

Adesco and local NGO– Able to spend about $5 per household

on water each month

Project History • Project FIAT has been active in Las Delicias for > 5 years• Initial Contact with Project FIAT

January 2009• Application to EWB-USA

March 2009• Project Approved

May 2009• Preliminary Assessment Visit

July 2009• Assessment Trip

April 2010

The ProblemThe Problem: Water Supply : Water Supply in Las Delicias is:in Las Delicias is:

• Unreliable

• Inequitable

• Questionable Quality

A Culture of Scarcity exists that leads to hoarding

A process to achieve a goal.A process to achieve a goal.

• Goal: Provide clean potable water to everyone in the community of around 5000 people.

• Identify Challenges & Evaluate Options to reach the goal.

• Gather an appropriate team.

• Evaluate design alternative and Develop an implementation plan.

Las Delicias Project History• Initial Contact with Project FIAT

• January 2009• Application to EWB-USA

• March 2009• Project Approved

• May 2009• Preliminary Assessment Visit

• July 2009• Assessment Trip

• April 2010

San Salvador

Project FIAT Guest House

Preliminary Assessment Trip Preliminary Assessment Trip to Las Delicias, July 2009to Las Delicias, July 2009

Las Delicias

Three Days Exploring Las Delicias Three Days Exploring Las Delicias Water SystemWater System

Las Delicias Community Map with Piping System

• Pump Runs 6 Hours a day. • Pump puts out about 150

GPM.• Depending on the time of year

pump will run a max. of 5 days

Flow testFlow test Tank Flowrate Calculations

Tank Tank 1 Tank 3D (m) 6.48 6.65H (m) 3.73 3.58A (m2) 32.95 34.78V (m3) 123.02 124.52

delta t (min) 15.25 11.00delta L (m) 0.20 0.13Flow (m3/min) 0.44 0.40Flow (gal/min) 115.99 106.10

** Tank 1 was receiving flow by gravity from mountain during pump test

• Meter at well-head indicated about 150 GPM

Meeting with Community CouncilMeeting with Community Council

Assessment Trip to Las Delicias Assessment Trip to Las Delicias Planned for Spring 2010Planned for Spring 2010

GOALS of Assessment Trip

• Evaluate failure of well riser pipe to improve design and reduce frequency of replacements.

• Evaluate spring source and supply lines between spring and storage tanks to determine potential for increasing yield.

• Measure water quality indicators at several source points (well source, spring source)

• Discuss design options with community such as point-of-use water treatment systems, water meters, automatic water shut-off valves on household pilas.

• Initiate community health assessment.• Meet with engineers who installed well or water

authorities to find well information. Determine local codes and identify regulatory agencies.

• Measure elevations of critical distribution points in water system.

EWB impacts their lives EWB impacts their lives

• Provides professional resources to help resolve problems facing poor communities in developing countries.

• EWB members dedicate their TIME and skills.

• Have a genuine concern for their neighbors.

• Have said yes to a call for help.

Las Delicias Pre-Assessment Las Delicias Pre-Assessment SummarySummary

• Pumps, piping, and storage systems are operational• Distribution of water to households is inequitable

– Some houses receive water daily– Others receive water once per week– A culture of scarcity exists leading to hoarding water when

it is available• Chlorine treatment occurs on effluent from storage

tanks• Anecdotal evidence of pipe failures

– Corrosion of pipes in well– Failure of unions in PVC at high flowrates– Old pipes are “brittle”

• Community financial system is well established