Service Learning in the Master's Degree in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Energy
Master's Thesis - Design of a water treatment system to supply drinking water to a community in Kenya
- Coordination: Sandra Contreras Iglesias (sandra.contreras(ELIMINAR)@urv.cat)
- Community organization: ONG UDROPS.
- Summary: This final master's project, undertaken during the academic year 2020-21, has resulted in two designs for water treatment plants adapted to local conditions. In addition, the installation of solar panels has been proposed to cover the pumping needs, in both cases following the current trend of using solar pumping in subtropical areas. The proposed designs are expected to produce drinking water for 360 and 615 people, respectively. This will positively impact the lives of the inhabitants of the two communities, one located on Mfangano Island (Victoria Island) and the other on the slopes of Kenya Mountain in Tharaka Nithi County. In particular, the designs are expected to reduce the problems caused by diseases transmitted by water, such as intestinal worms or cholera. They are also expected to increase the quality of life, especially for children and women, since they are usually the ones in charge of collecting water and, therefore, most affected by this problem. The installation of solar panels also has the objective of providing these communities with better energy autonomy, so that in the future they do not depend on fossil fuels for generating electricity.
