Philadelphia Professional Chapter

Las Delicias Water ProjectProject DataProject Description

• Chapter Name: Philadelphia Professional Chapter

• Project Name: Las Delicias Water Project• Project Location: Las Delicias, El Salvador• Project Phase: Implementation• Total Project Cost: $50,000• Project Chapter Contact and Email Address:

Adam Brostow: mountainelm@gmail.com• Partner Organizations: Project FIAT (NGO run

by Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), ADESCO (Las Delicias Water Committee)

• Significant Donors or Contributors: Boeing (2 grants)

Las Delicias is a village of about 3000 people located about an hour from the capital San Salvador. It has an existing drinking water system that consists of a well, two pumps (submersible and booster), three storage tanks at elevation (one supplied by a spring), and gravity distribution system.

The village experiences water shortage due to high electricity cost.Hoarding water leads to disease. Over 80% of children in the village have parasites which leads to school absenteeism. Standing water provides breeding ground for Dengue Fever mosquitoes.

Our chapter (EWB-MAP) came up with a way to supply about 30% more water for the same energy consumed. About 50% of the population lives below the elevation of ~250’ above the elevation of the well while the tanks are located over 400’ above the elevation of the well. The solution is to add another tank at an intermediate elevation and pump to two different pressures. The tank was completed in late 2012. Most of the trenching to connect to the existing system was done in 2013. Now we are ready to install a VFD on the booster pump.

Adding a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) will allow (a) matching the flow rates of the two pumps; (b) efficiently pumping at lower head; (c) eliminating the Power Factor penalty to obtain electricity subsidy.

Implementation required people of various background: mechanical, civil, chemical, and electrical engineers, as well as masons and volunteers working together. 

Construction of the new tank (now completed)

Challenging part of trenching was excavating the concrete section of the road.

Children will benefit most from the improved water system.

Sponsors

260 Homes Served by Tank 3

33 Homes Served

by Tank 2291 Homes Served by Tank 1

DOWNHILL

CURRENT LAS DELICIAS WATER SYSTEM

117 Homes Served by Tank 3

33 Homes Served

by Tank 2

154 Homes Served by Tank 1

280 Homes Served by NEW TANK

At lower elevation

DOWNHILL

PROPOSED LAS DELICIAS WATER SYSTEM

DAY 1 – June 5, 2012

Photos of Project ProgressDay 2 – People

Daniel Rivera (Engineer from

Rotary)

Miguel Delgado (from FIAT) Miguel Martinez

(Supervisor)

Holman (driver from

FIAT)

Sergio (LD ADESCO member)

Mario (LD resident)

June 27, 2012 September, 2013September, 2013July, 2012

Critical Elevation Diagram. Paintings are based on traditional El Salvadoran/Fernando Llort art.