Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Development of a Sustainable and Appropriate Drinking Water System for Montana de Luz and Nueva Esperanza, Honduras
EPA Grant Number: SU833184Title: Development of a Sustainable and Appropriate Drinking Water System for Montana de Luz and Nueva Esperanza, Honduras
Investigators: Walker, Harold W , Haar, Theresa Vonder , Kurtz, Chris , Hough, Eric , Merrill, John , Passino, Kevin
Institution: The Ohio State University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 2005 through June 30, 2009
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2006) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The objectives of Phase I of this P3 project was to identify possible sustainable solutions to the drinking water quality issues at the Montaña de Luz orphanage and nearby village. This project builds on work already conducted over the last 3 years at Ohio State University. The primary objectives of the project were to: (1) perform a thorough site assessment to more fully characterize the water quality and existing water treatment and supply infrastructure; (2) perform laboratory testing for a number of As and Mn treatment options; and (3) evaluate the sustainability of any designs for improving the drinking water system at the site.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The drinking water of Nueva Esperanza and Barrio Santiago were characterized on March 19, 2007 through March 21, 2007. Water samples were collected from the water storage reservoir as well as a number of homes and tested in country for chlorine (total and free), iron, sulfate, nitrate, phosphate, conductivity, total dissolved solids, bacteria, and arsenic. Additional water quality analyses are still be conducted at Ohio State University. To characterize the water quality in the reservoir and also to determine the chlorine decay, water samples were taken from the reservoir before chlorine was manually added (10:15 am on March 20, 2007), after chlorine was added (12 pm on March 20, 2007), and approximately 18 hours after addition of chlorine (5:45 am on March 21, 2007) before the water was sent to the homes through the distribution system. The chlorine solution was prepared by adding 700 g of calcium hypochlorite (hydrated, 65% available chlorine) to approximately 55 gallons of water. Approximately nine gallons of this solution was added to the reservoir manually. The majority of the total chlorine was free chlorine. Chlorine concentrations in the storage tank decayed with time. Chlorine concentrations within the tank dropped from 0.78 mg/L total chorine to 0.39 mg/L the following morning.
Samples collected from homes within Nueva Esperanza and Barrio Santiago showed that chlorine concentrations decayed further as water passed through the distribution network. The first sample for grid 1 was collected at house 16 and had a total chlorine concentration of 0.29 mg/L. As sampling continued across grid 1, chlorine concentrations fell to a final concentration of 0.10 mg/L at house 20. However, for grid 2 chlorine concentrations were much lower. Sampling began at house 21 which registered a chlorine concentration of 0.02 mg/L and remained low for the remainder of the houses sampled within grid 2. Due to this trend of chlorine decay, levels of chlorine within the network were not sufficient.
In addition to chlorine concentration, levels of nitrate, sulphate, ammonia, phosphate and iron were also studied. Results collected from the reservoir showed that iron, nitrate, ammonia, and total dissolved solids were at low concentrations, resulting in good water quality. The phosphate concentration of the water was 2.6 mg/L and the sulphate concentration was 19 mg/L.
Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies
Phase II will build on work already conducted over the last 3 years at The Ohio State University, Montana de Luz and in Nueva Esperanza. The primary objectives of the project are to: (1) create a accurate hydraulic model of the Nueva Esperanza’s water distribution system (2) design appropriate point-of-use filter technology building on results from Phase I (3) carry out a sustainability assessment for all aspects of the design with special attention given to component life cycles and an economic cost-benefit analysis.
Conclusions:
There is a strong need for help in the small rural community of Honduras. There is much that needs done and few people who posses the skills required to answer the call. The problem can be alleviated in a two step solution. First, it is our goal to engineer a sustainable solution to the arsenic and chlorine problems present in the drinking water of Nuava Esparanza. Second is education. The people of Nueva Esparanza need to be enlightened to the health effects of arsenic contamination and the lack of chlorine in their drinking water. This will help motivate them to take the first steps towards a sustainable solution. In addition, they will need to be taught how to maintain their treatment system. Although very simple, the system will require some interaction and maintenance from the people of whom the system serve.
Supplemental Keywords:
Sustainability, Arsenic, Honduras, Montana de Luz, Iron Impregnated Sand, Water, Nueva Esperanza,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Geographic Area, Water, Sustainable Industry/Business, Sustainable Environment, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Drinking Water, International, Environmental Engineering, Urban and Regional Planning, microbiological organisms, sustainable development, Honduras, drinking water distribution system, drinking water treatment, water treatment, pollution preventionRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.