Pumping water up a hill

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

+1 On the tractor plus tank trailer/ bowser idea. Biodiesel would seem to be economical but unless there is a local processor of it already there, plant and chemicals needed for processing it, such as glycerin, may or may not be available or affordable locally.

Shipping tote type containers suitable for potable water would be a low cost way to provide storage at the top of the peak. Maybe one of the big international shippers could be prevailed upon to donate a couple of big ones with rack or mount point damage (damage which will not affect use as a tank at all, but prevents their normal use in shipping since they can not stack properly on ships). The tractor is useful for many other jobs in the village when not hauling the water a couple of times a day.

A major consideration for using a portable solution like a tractor and trailer rather than installed plant is the theft aspect. It's a lot easier to keep thieves away from one tractor and tank trailer in a village compound than keeping them away from many hundred of metres of pipe, expensive pumps, solar panel plant, control hardware, etc. up the side of a mountain.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

A "Capital Cost plus minimal Maintenance cost" suggestion.

A large waterwheel in the river, (as a power source) driving a small pump to pump the water up the hill. The pump, obviously has to be capable of providing a 500 foot head ( to have a bit in hand), say 20 psi) and is likely to be multi ram, to reduce pressure fluctuations.

The river provides the power for free, but may need sluice gates to cotrol and compensaye for high or low water flows.

Despite its efficiency, because of the small head of water available, a Pelton Wheel is unlikely to be a suitable power source, but an old fashioned undershot wheel may be the way to do the job.

Howard

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Mike Joseph on 22/10/2018 23:38:33:

... Down in a valley is the water supply, a well, about 3km distance and 500m below ...

.

Howard, for info ^^^

MichaelG.

[FarmboyParticipant @farmboy]

I think the water source is a well, not a river, so it seems that solar is the only viable power source. [oops! As already pointed out by MichaelG while I was writing]

I still feel that more storage might be the answer, if there is enough rain in the wet season to fill it, with the tractor bowser as a back up.

Mike.

Edited By Farmboy on 25/10/2018 21:54:01

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

What goes up, must come down (unless it's processed and purified).

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Posted by John Haine on 25/10/2018 22:36:49:

What goes up, must come down (unless it's processed and purified).

Or Taxes!

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I'm assuming that the OP and his friends have already considered the cost and viability of the pipework.

Does the tractor live at the hospital, or at the village with the well?

If the latter, what's wrong with using the tractor's PTO as the power source for a suitable pump?

Obviously one would need to work out costing, but it may be more fuel efficient than driving back and forth.

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 26/10/2018 02:11:56

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

As there is no flowing water, ie a dry river bed, a pump is required, and it would be best if the well was changed to a be quite a bit deeper to get purer water, and more reliable supply as the water table drops in the dry season. A solar electricity supply supplying enough power for two pumps, the fist a deep well pump, the a second HP pump to pump th water up the hill. Suitable plastic pipe should be used as it has low friction to water flow, it is the cheapest, and the cheapest to lay. There would probably be a need for a tank at the well head, and there should be some form of storage at the hospital.

From a brief look on the "net", the problem happens all over Tanzania. One example of a maternity hospital that suggests that you bring your own water, and they don't have water to wash sheets, or nurses uniforms.

Ian S C

[Mike JosephParticipant @mikejoseph75242]

Message from friend that runs this trustto all you helpful souls:

Kwamkono Disabled Children's Trust would like to thank everyone who have suggested ways to get water up the hill at the centre.  These  will be very helpful when we investigate possible solutions next year, unfortunately finding information about available supplies and equipment in rural Tanzania is not easy.  

Thank you once again

Keith Wright
Founding Trustee and chair

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

I think this one is really difficult. The pressure in a pipe with a 500m head is about 50bar, or 720psi. As heavy plastic water pipe is only good up to about 100psi, and Schedule 40 steel water pipe to about 175psi, this isn't going to be done with a single lift and ordinary fittings.

Managing the pressure suggests a series of pumps and tanks will be needed. For about £400 a small deep well pump will lift water to about 75m at 80psi and consume about 500W. For a continuous flow you would need seven equally spaced up the slope, each with a holding tank and piping. Also a generator to power the pumps and a control system ensuring that pumps don't run dry or overflow their destination tank.

While not too difficult to imagine a potential solution on those lines, I'm completely stuffed when it comes to working out the details, like how big should the intermediate tanks be. Details and local knowledge are all important when you can't just throw money at the problem. For example, the tanks should be buried to keep the water clean and reduce evaporation. But I've no idea how expensive it is to dig holes half way up a Tanzanian hill-side, which might be solid rock.

Glad I live where cheap clean water isn't a problem apart from those privatised companies who prefer profits to fixing leaks! In the UK leaks are quite a problem – my supplier is currently losing 43Mega litres per day and they're not the worst.

Dave

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Thanks for passing on the feedback, Mike.

Funnily enough, yesterday I was at a site where, about 25 years ago, the regular pumping of water used for washing sand and gravel to huge settling ponds was switched off. These ponds had become huge reedbeds of conservation significance, but sit above a break in a slope on porous land.

We looked at many solutions, and carried out a hydrological feasibility study. My preferred solution was a wind pump, which although it was considered it wouldn't be anywhere near enough water, woudl at least have kept an area in water.

In the end, nothing more than volunteers going in and clearing willow has happened.

Yesterday – a huge reedbed looking as healthy as it ever did. Presumably the 20 years or more of fines pumped up with the wash water were enough to make the reedbeds a lot less porous than we thought and rain has been enough to keep them going.

Neil

[Keith Wright 3Participant @keithwright3]

Kwamkono Disabled Children's Trust

We would like to thank everyone who has suggested ways of getting the water up the hill to the children's Centre. We will be deciding next year on a method once we have found out what supplies and equipment is available in rural Tanzania.

Thank you once again

Keith Wright

Founding Trustee and Chair

[Author]

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