
Map (Click for bigger image)
Project Location (Click for bigger image)
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Design of a Gravity Fed Water System Los
Conucos, Dominican Republic
CE 4905 Senior
Design Summer 2004
Slide Show Scenes of 2004 Projects
Project Location
A group of three International Senior Design Students from Michigan
Technological University traveled to the Dominican Republic in May 2004
to provide the village of Los Conucos with an acceptable design for a
water system.
 TCS
Group Members:
Mary Warren (left)
Adam Rychwalski (center), Lisa Skiver (right)
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Background
The village
of Los Conucos is a small subsistence farming community. The population
is approximately 35 persons ranging in all ages. Currently there is no
running water or electricity for the community.

Water collection is accomplished by women and children
of the village traveling distance of 2-3 miles per day over rugged terrain.
Often these women and children carry 15-50 pounds of water these distance
every day, this creates great physical strain on their bodies over time.
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Field
Techniques
A Land Survey of the
area was completed using a Abney Hand Level (seen in picture to right).
Data collected from this survey was used to determine the necessary pipe
sizes and flows within the system.
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Source Entrapment
- Designed to protect
the spring from contamination.
- Design selected
by considering available materials, ease of construction, and cost (primary
factor)
- Stone Masonry
Spring Box Selected
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Picture of Spring
located within Los Conucos.

Picture of Spring Entrapment Design.
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Pipeline
Route Selection
 (Click for bigger image)
Route selected to avoid areas that may complicate construction/design
(i.e. rocky terrain, ravines, etc...) Materials selected based on terrain
and potential exposure. Materials used are Galvanized and PVC pipe. This
is due to limited availability of materials.
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Tapstand
(Llave) Design

- Tapstands will
accommodate 10 houses located within the village of Los Conucos and
were designed for private use.
- Tapstands were
designed to be durable, and cost effective
- Stone Masonry was
chosen as material
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Cost
Estimate
The Cost Estimates
for the Components of this water system are:
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American
Dollars |
Dominican
Pesos |
Tap
Stands |
$143 |
$7,007 |
Spring
Box |
$67 |
$3,287 |
Pipeline |
$2,930 |
$143,581 |
10%
Contingency Costs |
$314
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$15,388 |
Total |
$3,454 |
$169,263
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Michigan Technological
University
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, Michigan, 49931 - 1295, USA
Department Phone: 1-906-487-2520
Department Fax: 1-906-487-2943
Department E-mail: cee@mtu.edu
© 2004 Michigan Technological University
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