This proposed program aims to address the need for water security of 300 families of the Ticuna indigenous community in the Colombian Amazon basin. The strategic plan to achieve this goal is the implementation of a solar powered water supply system, which is both environmentally friendly and sustainable in the long term. The infrastructure of this program is based on the installation of 20 solar panels of 450W each, which results in a power generation system with a capacity of 9kW. Under the conservative assumption that we have around 5 hours of peak sun per day, the system would be generating 45kWh per day. Discounting the unavoidable power losses due to conversion and transmission, around 40kWh would be available to the pump each day The energy system will feed an efficient and robust hydraulic pump, specifically designed to work with solar energy. This pump will transport water from a nearby source to the homes of Ticuna families within a 5km radius. With an estimated daily water requirement of 50 liters per person, the goal is to supply a total of 15,000 liters of water each day for 300 people.
In addition to the technical system, the program also has a social component. A monitoring and management phase of the project will be implemented to ensure a successful and sustainable integration into the community. This will include training community members in the operation and maintenance of the water supply system, as well as the formation of a local water committee. This committee will be responsible for overseeing the long-term management of the system and solving any problems that may arise. This approach has the added benefit of empowering the community by giving them skills and responsibilities that will enable them to maintain and control their own water supply. In conclusion, the program seeks not only to provide water, but also to create local infrastructure and capacities for sustainable water management in the Ticuna community.
