Solar Energy Powers Remote Water Systems
Citation:
Patterson, C., C. Maldonado, R. Sinha, C. Lopez-Maisonave, AND G. Ramirez-Toro. Solar Energy Powers Remote Water Systems. OPFLOW. American Water Works Association, Denver, CO, 44(6):24-26, (2018). https://doi.org/10.1002/opfl.1022
Impact/Purpose:
Rural Non-PRASA communities in Puerto Rico face many challenges including insufficient water supplies, intermittent electrical service and a general lack of financial, technical and managerial capacities to properly operate and maintain their water systems. Small communities cannot afford electrical costs and many have abandoned their groundwater sources and reverted to unfiltered surface water systems, creating serious public health risks and non-compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act regulations. Solar-powered pumping systems could be used by a majority of the Non-PRASA communities to extract and transfer source water for treatment and distribution.
Description:
Solar power is a viable renewable energy source for Puerto Rico due to the consistent sunshine and the high cost associated with importing other energy sources. U.S. EPA (EPA) and the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico (IUPR) collaborated on a one-year project to design and install a solar-powered pumping system to transfer and combine water from two watershed sources in Apeadero, Puerto Rico. One major cost for electricity for small communities in Puerto Rico is the transfer, treatment and distribution of drinking water. Small communities cannot afford electrical costs and many have abandoned their groundwater sources and reverted to unfiltered surface water systems, creating serious public health risks and non-compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act regulations. This EPA Region 2 and Office of Research and Development project was selected for funding to investigate the use of low-cost energy-efficient treatment technologies in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and other tropical regions. Community involvement and education were promoted to reduce public health risks and make a visible difference in communities.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Solar Energy Powers Remote Water Systems
Free access through PubMed Central
https://awwa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/opfl.1022