The Practivistas Domincana Program is currently a study abroad program involving Cal Poly Humboldt and UNIBE that takes place in Santo Domingo, Domincan Republic. The rainwater catchment system in Las Malvinas in Santo Domingo was first constructed in 2011 by Intelegencia Colectivo from UNIBE. The water from this system was used for washing but was not potable.
Objective[edit | edit source]
Vandalism and two years of wear and tear has caused the system to fail in its purpose to collect rainwater. The goal is to return the system to working condition and to improve on the previous design.
Literature Review[edit | edit source]
Literature reviews from La Yuca rainwater catchment (2013) (2012) (2011) were utilized to understand and reconstruct the rainwater catchment system in Las Malvinas.
Criteria[edit | edit source]
| Criteria | Constraints | Weight (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | Convenient location for everything | 8 |
| Level of Maintenance | Necessary < 3X a year | 8 |
| Water Demand | enough to wash clothes for a few families | 8- depends on rain |
| Educational | at least 1 person | 7 |
| Safety | Must be sturdy and clean enough for washing | 9 |
| Time | finish project before we leave | 10 |
| Materials | Materials are all local | 8 |
| Cost | as inexpensive as safely possible | 8 |
| Durability | Long lasting design | 8 |
Final Design[edit | edit source]
The final design of the rainwater catchment system in Las Malvinas consisted of reconstruction of the roof and first flush. Additionally a primary screening and PVC gutters were included in the design. The outcome consisted of a working rainwater catchment system that efficiently prevents contaminants from entering the tinaco(water storage tank).
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Reconstruction of the roof
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Finished Rainwater catchment system
Maintenance[edit | edit source]
This final design requires consistent upkeep in order to reduce the amount of contaminants. Periodically OR Every Few Rainfalls
- First Flush holes should be cleared of any blockage
Every Month
- Primary screening must be checked for damage or clogging
Every Year
- First Flush must be thoroughly cleaned
- Tinaco (or storage tank) must be emptied of sediment and disinfected
- Sediment must be replaced
Maintenance Video[edit | edit source]
Refer to the La Yuca rainwater catchment 2013 maintenance video for guidance on how upkeep a rainwater catchment system.
Timeline[edit | edit source]
June 28th 2013 Went to Las Malvinas to look at the school rainwater catchment system. Ended up with an alternative project to fix the rainwater catchment system in the Play.
June 29th 2013 Bought materials for the rainwater catchment system in the Play in Las Malvinas. Fixed the toilet/sink system, and first flush. The first screening still has to be modified.
June 30th 2013 Started Construction on the Play rainwater catchment system.
- Removed roof
- Fixed bent sections of the roof
- Disassembled the rainwater catchment system
- Cleaned the tinaco
July 1st 2013
- Rain
July 2nd 2013
- Rain
July 3rd 2013
- Worked on constructing the roof
- Worked on completing powerpoint for our project presentation
July 4th 2013
- Presentation on our projects
July 5th 2013
- Sancocho and dancing in Las Malvinas
July 6th 2013
- Installed the PVC gutters
- Drilled a hole into the cap of the tinaco for the PVC inlet
- Created the primary screening
- Finished constructing and gluing the first flush
July 7th 2013
- Completed project with the addition of a faucet and adding silicone to a leak.