HeadstrongWorks, Inc.
Dear Supporters:
Due to civil unrest and arbitrary law enforcement, we are unable to currently travel to Nicaragua. We are pleased to report that our microloan fund still circulates in the Waswali region of Nicaragua and that this financial support has provided food and economic security while the country experiences political and economic challenges.
Purifier Installation
March 2014
We installed a water purifier in a coffee picking community about 1 1/2 hrs. outside of Matagalpa.
The location of the purifier is ideal as it lies beside a commuting path for the plantation.
Don Luis, our community partner, is familiar with purifiers and helped with set up and taught us a thing or two!
Locals carried and placed the heavy volcanic rock locally harvested. The material is cheap and sustainable.
Aislinn helps to haul tanks to the platform.
These tanks are readily available in country.
Wayne works on reinforcing the intake pipe which flows from a freshwater source further up the mountain.
Garth glues together PVC pipe and valves that will control the intake water flow.
A PC battery supply was obtained through our friend Darrell Adams of MedWater. This is an easy and cheap ($10) way to keep the chlorine generator going if electricity is available.
Wayne helps to assemble and glue the front manifold which will circulate the water through the chlorine generator.
A closeup up the chlorine generator where the process of electrolysis draws chlorine from table salt and injects it into the water.
Purifier Repair: June 2013
On a recent trip to Matagalpa, Nicaragua, we assisted with the repair of a water purifier that utilizes chlorine generation to kill waterborne pathogens. This low tech purifier can process large amounts of water in a short period of time. This particular purifier was placed in an elementary school just outside of Matagalpa by Water Ambassadors Canada. More information about the purifier can be found at waterstep.org.
PUMPS
Here we have collected data on hand pumps we have repaired and converted. Note that only extensive repairs/conversions are included here. We have not documented in detail when a pump received a simple repair such as a chain or handle bearing replacement.
Pump Data.
Las Mesas, Matagalpa Region,
Nicaragua; 3/19/14
N12d56'21" W86d00'56.5"
Rope Pump to India M. II: 60'
Top of casing to h20: 35'
Water Column: 25'
50' PVC pipe
10' sections
Est. # people served: 150
Near Puertas Viejas, Sebaco Region, Nicaragua; 3/17/14
N12d36'05.5"W86d03'09.6"
Broken India Mark II Repair
Total Well Depth: 200'
Top of casing to h20: 50'
Water Column: 150'
100' PVC Pipe
10' sections
Est. # people served: 60
-thanks to Rick Jenner's training, we were able to fish 100 ft. of sucker rod 200 ft. down
Upper La Corneta, Matagalpa
Region, Nicaragua; 2/27/13
N12d58.207' W086d02.862'
Broken Afridev to India M. II
Total Well Depth: 150'
Top of casing to h20: 27'
Water Column: 123'
60' galvanized steel pipe
10' sections
Est. # of people served: 235
La Corneta, Matagalpa Region,
Nicaragua; 2/26/13
N12d57.928' W086d02.251'
Rope Pump to India M. II
Total Well Depth: 160'
Top of casing to h20: 66'
Water Column: 94'
117' galvanized steel pipe
10' sections; one 3' section
Est. # people served: 175
Yaule, Matagalpa Region,
Nicaragua; 2/25/13
N12d56.65' W086d00.462'
Rope Pump to India M. II
Total Well Depth: 186.2'
Top of casing to h20: 13.7'
Water Column: 172.7'
100' galvanized steel pipe
10' sections
Est. # people served: 150
Gimballe, Haiti;
7/24/12
Total Well Depth: 47.9 ft.
Top of casing to h20: 29.6 ft.
Water Column: 18.3 ft.
44 ft. of metal pipe
Repair Activities:
-put in new cylinder
-added 4 extra ft. of pipe
Gravlo Mey, Mirebalais, Haiti;
7/24/12
Total Well Depth: 32.11 ft.
Top of casing to h20: 25 ft.
Water Column: 7.11 ft.
31 ft. of metal pipe
Repair Activities:
-rebuilt cylinder
-21 new ft. of pipe
Domon, Haiti; 7/23/12
Total Well Depth: 30.7 ft.
Top of casing to h20: 16.7 ft.
Water column: 14 ft.
28 ft. of metal pipe
Repair Activities:
-new cylinder
-put 3 ft. of pipe with a screen under cylinder to get further into water column
Foyer Coeur de Pitie Orphanage; outside Mirebalais, Haiti; 7/23/12
Total Well Depth: 14.7 ft.
Top of casing to h20: 31.9 ft.
Water Column: 7 in.
Suction PVC pump
Repair Activities:
-cleared plastic bag out of bottom check valve
only works in rainy season; probably draws from river very close by during rise in water table, easily contaminated
Dramane, Grand Boukan, Haiti;
7/22/12
Total Well Depth: 121.4 ft.
Top of casing to h20: 45.7 ft.
Water Column: 75.7 ft.
90 ft. of PVC pipe
Repair Activities:
-removed some bad pipe
-rebuilt cyclinder