Engineering Commons^™

Planning For Intermittent Water Supply In Small Gravity-Fed Distribution Systems: Case Study In Rural Panama, Frank B. Dubasik

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Intermittent water supply (IWS) is defined as a piped water distribution system that operates in an intermittent fashion, i.e. less than 24 hours per day. Piped water distribution systems are designed to operate with continuous water supply (CWS), meaning the system is operated continuously and maintains positive pressures in the distribution network. Operating a system in an intermittent fashion can cause inequality of access in a water distribution system. It may also result in lower water quality and wear and tear on the system.

In the community of Espavé, Panamá a new water system was installed and brought online in …

Design, Laboratory Testing, And Yield Line Analysis Of A Ferrocement Pit Latrine Slab, Larry Alan Schirmer Jr

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Access to sanitation for rural and indigenous Panamanians is the vision of global efforts to improve their quality of life. As part of on-site work from the Peace Corps to change public perceptions about open defecation, the author designed and tested a new type of ferrocement latrine slab to reduce the amount of materials involved in building latrines and by extension the manual labor involved. In the course of this investigation, a sanitation based case study establishes the precedent for working with ferrocement in these areas, and the author explores the history and structural properties of ferrocement. In laboratory experiments, …

Improving Flow Distribution In Small-Scale Water-Supply Systems Through The Use Of Flow-Reducing Discs And Methods For Analyzing The Effectiveness Of Solar Powered Pumping For A Drinking Water Supply In Rural Panama, Briana I. Drake

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

As continued global funding and coordination are allocated toward the improvement of access to safe sources of drinking water, alternative solutions may be necessary to expand implementation to remote communities.

This report evaluates two technologies used in a small water distribution system in a mountainous region of Panama; solar powered pumping and flow-reducing discs. The two parts of the system function independently, but were both chosen for their ability to mitigate unique issues in the community. The design program NeatWork and flow-reducing discs were evaluated because they are tools taught to Peace Corps Volunteers in Panama.

Even when ample water …