Canadian Samaritans for Africa partnered with the Engineers Without Borders at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and Ebonyi State University, Nigeria in 2006 to build a water system for the village of Adu Achi, a community of approximately 10,000 people in Enugu State in Eastern Nigeria.
Challenge
The people in the village of Adu Achi fetched water for domestic use from a distant and contaminated surface water source.
The water borne-illnesses caused by consumption of this water were a significant contributor to physical and psychological stresses, and the need to make multiple four mile round trips per day to the stream source occupied much of women and children’s days.
These ailments and burdens often prevented the pursuit of educational, economic, and social opportunities.
Solution
A team of engineering students and members of Canadian Samaritans for Africa travelled to Nigeria in January 2008 to build the water reservoirs and educate the community about the importance of using clean water.
This pipeline now runs the length of the main road through the village and can service most of the village, including two primary schools.
The water project was completed in 2010 and is now being managed by the Adu Achi Water Project Management Committee.
Awards & Recognition
The Enugu Project team has since been recognized nationally and internationally for its design and plans for the implementation of this project.
Best Student Presentation at the National Groundwater Research and Education Foundation Groundwater Summit in May 2007.
Finalists in the Mondialogo Engineering Award sponsored by UNESCO and Daimler Chrysler. Two members travelled to India in December 2007 to participate in a weeklong symposium in Mumbai, India and to exhibit the project for the Mondialogo Award.
The project also won an EPA P3 Grant and phase 1 award and will be on exhibit on the National Mall, Washington D.C. in April 2008.
Help Needed
Currently, the system is in a transition to a new management system that will enable a single manager to operate the system for profit. This new model will help bring consistency and motivation to the operation of the system.
Additionally, the system is in the process of connecting the submersed pump to the electric grid in order to cut operating costs.
Visit the EWB – University of of Illinois website to learn more.
More information
Please visit the following links for more information
https://dailyillini.com/uncategorized/2014/10/28/engineers-without-borders-successfully-provides-clean-water-in-remote-adu-achi/
https://sites.google.com/site/ewbuiucenugustatewaterproject/
https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/display.highlight/abstract/8623/report/F