30 August 2008

Designs

I am finishing up the water system design for a neighboring community, and realizing how expensive it can be to build a properly-designed water system. Materials are coming out to cost about 20 thousand dollars. Ensuring that there is equity in service, that each house has sufficient pressure, requires larger pipe sizes that carry with them a much higher price. I am going to look at a few alternatives, because I am not sure how feasible it would be to fund the ideal solution.

We're also finishing up a proposal for moveable latrine floor slabs, which would be a new technology for the community. Currently, the community members would need to construct a new concrete slab to be used with a new latrine pit. With moveable floor slabs, when the pit is full, the slab can simple be relocated to a new pit, saving a significant amount of money. The cost of building a new slab for a new pit currently is the main reason why latrine pits are overused, i.e., continued to be used even though the pit is full.

Taking a break in Colombia for now.