Unfinished pharmacy photo to show site.

Abstract

Our project consisted of creating a new rainwater catchment system located at the pharmacy in Las Malvinas. Our group made the appropriate calculations and developed an easily accessible rainwater catchment system that captures, filters, and distributes water that can be used by the local community. It is our goal that available rainwater can be captured efficiently and filtered sufficiently to be used for a variety of other purposes, thus providing the community with a cost effective solution to their water shortage, with the cost of the materials listed below.

Background

This appropriate technology project is located in Dominican Republic in the Las Malvinas neighborhood of Santo Domingo. The team includes 3 students from Humboldt State University and 4 students from UNIBE and is taking place in the month of June, 2014. Concurrent to the project, the Humboldt State students are taking classes at UNIBE in Santo Domingo. The classes are focused on appropriate technology and engineering and are paired with one Spanish class. The system in Las Malvinas is a new rainwater catchment system which has been developed using spare parts from the La Yuca System.

Objective

Our objective for the water project for the 2014 Practivistas Dominicana Program at the Las Malvinas pharmacy is to design a new catchment system using spare parts from previous systems and make water readily available for the community.

Literature Review

Here is the link for the information we collected to help us understand and review information that will allow us to build the appropriate rainwater catchment system in Las Malvinas for the 2014 practivistas dominicana program.

Location

An Interactive Map for Las Malvinas.

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Construction

Pictures of Design

put pics here


Cost

The table below shows the cost table for the pharmacy's rainwater catchment system in Las Malvinas.

Material Quantity Unit Cost (DOP) Total Cost (DOP)
PVC Gutter [9 ft.] 2 1600 3200
Botellon [5 gal.] 1 195 195
Botellon PVC adapter [2] 1 31.12 31.12
Botellon PVC adapter [4] 1 60.00 60.00
Botellon PVC adapter [6] 1 80.00 80.00
Bag of nuts [25 mm.] 1 92.00 92.00
Bag of bolts [40mm.] 1 67.00 67.00
Outdoor L-brackets 3 320 960
Metal mesh for botellon [6 Yrd.] 1 48.12 48.12
Gutter connector 2 168.00 336.20
90 degree turn for gutter 1 520.10 520.10
Total Cost 5,589.54

Maintenance

This system needs maintenance year-round to ensure that everything works properly and stays clean, especially when taking into account cleanliness of a potable system.

Weekly

  • Make sure the botellon screen is clean
  • Make sure there isn't too much debris in the gutter
  • Make sure the first flush isn't clogged and water is able to drain to avoid mosquito breeding. Our team re-poked small holes that were previously clogged in the first flush to make sure water was able to drain out of the system after rain. Make sure the holes are too big that the first flush doesn't fully fill up.

Monthly

  • Clean the first flush system
  • Check for leaks
  • Make sure the roof is clean (no debris on the roof)


Yearly/Biyearly

  • Clean the tinaco
  • Buy new filters Biyearly

How To

File:La yucawire2014.jpg
Steps to Ensure a Proper Catchment System

To replace filters refer to this table to find PURADOM.

PURADOM La Julia,
Santo Domingo de Guzman 10107
Republica Dominicana
ventas@puradom.com
809-565-9599
Puradom website

To purchase materials in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

FERRETERÍA AMERICANA,
John F. Kennedy KM 5 1/2,
Santo Domingo
Republica Dominicana
809-549-7777
Ferreteria Americana website

Video

Here is a quick run-through of the Las Malvinas system.

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