UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG

EWB Engineering project

Water and Waste Management.
ENGG154 Design Report
‘The Engineers’

Andy Stewart, Andrew Vild, Chris Wodzinski, Peter Anstice.

i. Abstract
This final design report, completed by the EWB challenge group „Engineers‟, is a detailed
investigation and proposed solution for the 2011 EWB engineering challenge. This
competition is a requirement for first year engineering students, undertaking study at the
University of Wollongong.

This final design report outlines two major concepts and methods for improving the water
and waste management system within the rural and remote village of Devikulam in southern
India (see appendix [A] for map).

These aim to:

 Filter and recycle grey and black water created within the village and reuse of this
water for domestic and agricultural purposes. This would be achieved via a complete
water sanitation system throughout the whole village, recycling a majority of the
presently used water
 Create a safe, reliable and efficient source of drinking water in the village. This would
be achieved through a water filtration and treatment system running from a nearby
polluted water source.

Following a detailed investigation into both these design concepts an executive decision was
made to further develop a water filtration system that would successfully filter a local water
source thereby creating a renewable safe and efficient supply of fresh water. A Sand Based
Up-Flow Filtration System was chosen as the ideal method for achieving the group‟s goals as
it presented itself as an efficient, easy to operate, low cost and safe filtration system.

This will:

 Increase the level of sanitation within the village

 Create an environmentally sustainable source of safe drinking water
 Reduce the impact of the current water shortage in the bore system
 Reduce tension within the village castes.

The „Engineers‟ team believes that this design will successfully meet the goals of the
Engineers Without Borders program for 2011 in the remote village of Devikulam.

i
ii. Acknowledgements
The author/s wish to acknowledge the assistance provided by the Faculty of Engineering at
the University of Wollongong as well as assistance provided by the EWB challenge
administrators, via information and resources supplied for the Devikulam village, in the
preparation of this report.

In particular, they would like acknowledge the input from group members associated with
this specific project within the EWB challenge, all of whom have made valuable contributions
to the design solution.

ii
iii. Table of Contents
i. Abstract .................................................................................................................................... i
ii. Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ ii
iii. Table of Contents .................................................................................................................iii
iv. List of Figures....................................................................................................................... iv
v. Nomenclature ......................................................................................................................... v
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1
2. Theory Modeling .................................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Proposed Components ...................................................................................................... 5
2.2 System Considerations .....................................................................................................8
2.3 Location of system.......................................................................................................... 10
2.4 Schedule for construction and completion of design ..................................................... 10
3. Methods and Materials Used ............................................................................................... 12
4. Discussion and Analysis....................................................................................................... 14
4.1 Option 1: Grey and Black Water Recycling System ...................................................... 14
4.2 Option 2: Pond Water Filtration System (Renewable Drinking Water Supply) .......... 15
5. Results and Comparisons .................................................................................................... 16
6. Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 17
7. Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 17
8. References ............................................................................................................................ 18
Appendices ...............................................................................................................................20
Appendix [A] – Devikulam location map ............................................................................20
Appendix [B] – Performance reflection ............................................................................... 21
Appendix [C] - Meeting reports (Attached on following page). ........................................... 23

iii
iv. List of Figures
Figure 1 – The process of sanitisation of water.
Used on page: 8

Figure 2 – A simple upflow rapid sand filter.

Source: [http://doultonusa.com/doulton_water_filters/Emergency-
treatment-of-drinking-water.htm]

Used on page: 9

Figure 3 – The Unicef upflow charcoal filter.

Source: [http://doultonusa.com/doulton_water_filters/Emergency-
treatment-of-drinking-water.htm]

Used on page: 9

Figure 4 – Piston pump arrangement.

Source:
[http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox6/hort6/html/resources/depot/irrigation
/pumps_2.htm]

Used on page: 10

Figure 5 – Diesel Engine.

Source: [http://www.directindustry.com/prod/lister-petter/air-cooled-
single-cylinder-diesel-engines-5772-472070.html]

Used on page: 10

Figure 6 – Food grade/ water containers.

Source: [http://www.novabarrel.com]

Used on page: 11

Figure 7 – Model/ Measurements of filtration system.

Used on page: 11

Figure 8 – System with size reference.

Used on page: 12

Figure 9 – Dimensions of flocculation tank.

Used on page: 12

Note: Figures 1, 7, 8 and 9 were developed by team members.

iv
v. Nomenclature
Symbols and abbreviations used frequently throughout the report are defined below:

EWB - Engineers without borders

SI Units will be used for all units of measurement unless otherwise specified.

v
1. Introduction
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is an association focused on improving the quality of life
for disadvantaged communities within both Australia and overseas. The EWB program
aspires to create practical and innovative solutions to issues faced by disadvantaged
communities throughout the world and implement these solutions with the aim of creating a
higher quality of life.

This year the aim of the EWB program is to specifically assist the rural village of Devikulam
in southern India (see appendix [A] for map). This is to be achieved through the design and
construction of new, sustainable and culturally appropriate methods and systems that will
assist with their everyday life.

Areas of life that are subject to improvement via engineering solutions within the EWB scope
include a selection of either:

 A Devikulam Village Redevelopment Plan

 Building Designs
 Transportation systems
 Water supply and Sanitation Systems
 Energy systems
 ICT or Waste Management Plans.

Throughout this report the „Engineers‟ will focus on the water supply and sanitation systems
within the village. The town‟s water sources comprise of ground water and surface water. The
village‟s main source of drinking water is from two bores, one of which is currently broken.
Through regular sample analysis it has been noticed that the salinity and bacterial
concentrations are rising within these sources. Salt water intrusion and the increased use of
bore water is thought to be the cause of the increased salinity, with pollution from human
and animal waste the cause of bacterial contamination. Current trends suggest that the bore
water will be unsuitable for use in the near future. The pond water is also no longer suitable
for drinking, however, could be filtered and treated.

It is clear that there may be a serious problem in the near future for the village if a reliable
fresh water source is not developed.

The two major design concepts that will be explored within this report focus on:

 a grey and black water recycling system, and

 a pond water filtration system.

The aim of the recycling system is to take waste water from all domestic uses within the
village and convert this waste into treated and recycled water appropriate for use both
domestically and agriculturally.

The second design concept focuses on problem prevention. The village pond is currently a
major supply of water to the village and is subject to increasing levels of pollutants that in the
future may escalate into serious health problems for the inhabitants of the village.

1
The filtering system aims to create a safe renewable fresh drinking water supply to the village
via a multi staged sand and carbon based filter.

We believe that the implementation of either of these proposed systems will fulfil the EWB‟s
scope for the 2011 challenge and successfully aid the inhabitants of Devikulam village.

2
2. Theory Modeling
Currently in the Devikulam area, domestic water is drawn from 3 sources. These include a
series of bores (2 of which have become unusable for obtaining drinking water since one has
ceased functioning and the other produces excessively saline water). A third bore feeds a
30000L storage tank which in turn distributes water via a series of pipes to the colony.

Unfortunately, this water can only be accessed by the residents via a communal tap which is
available for only 2 hours per day; 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon. The
lack of alternate sources of clean water has resulted in an increased dependence, and in turn
strain, on the bore and tank system to produce a supply of fresh water.

Approximately 300 villagers consume about 1280L of potable water per day – 97% of which
is sourced from this tank. The solution offered, is to convert the water from the nearby pond
into potable water through a filtration and sanitation system. This will reduce the
dependence on the main bore/tank system, and will make water available more continuously
for the villagers. This is preferable to the alternative of removing salt from the saline water
(which was another considered design proposal) as such a process would require large
amounts of energy to evaporate the water, or costly, requiring complex reverse osmosis
systems to remove the sodium ions.

For the implementation of this water treatment system, it must be consistent with/conform
to the following identified design criteria:

 Have no adverse environmental impacts

 Utilise existing infrastructure to the maximum possible extent, thereby minimising
initial costs
 Be low/no cost to maintain, and have no specialised systems which require special
maintenance skills
 Be sympathetic to cultural beliefs, with no adverse social implications
 Supply potable water to an acceptable standard.

The proposed purification process is illustrated in the following Figure 1.

Figure 1 – The process of sanitisation of water

3
Consumable items from this system include sand, alum and sodium hypochlorite ('solid
chlorine') all of which can be obtained at minimal expense. Ongoing maintenance of the
system is also minimal, and includes cleaning the coarse mesh screens of debris, adding
appropriate levels of chlorine and alum, and replacing sand used in the sand filter.

Water is pumped from the pond twice a day. The water is then mixed with alum at the inlet
of the flocculation tank - this use of water flow gives sufficient agitation for the flocculation
process to occur, removing the need for mechanical agitation. The alum works as both a
flocculating agent, clumping together small solid particulate in the water, and as a phosphate
remover, since it reacts chemically to form a precipitate. This „floc‟ floats to the surface where
it is skimmed off.

Next, water is drawn from the flocculation tank into the first filtration tank, via a vertical
pipe utilising gravity in producing sufficient water pressure.

The water then undergoes the initial sand filtration. In this process, the water‟s pressure
allows it to be drawn upwards towards the top outlet of the tank, passing through
increasingly finer grains of sand.

This is illustrated in the following Figure 2. This method is effective in removing the bulk
amount of solids left over from flocculation.

Figure 2 - A simple upflow rapid sand filter

The water then flows into the next container, which is used as a sanitation vessel, wherein a
small amount of sodium hypochlorite is added to produce the effect of chlorination. This
effectively removes any pathogenic or other bacterial or microbial organisms. The use of
sodium chloride as a chlorination compound is also beneficial in that the water remains
chlorinated for some time, if for instance, it were to be stored in containers by the villagers.

Finally, the sanitised water is passed through a fine grade sand and charcoal (carbon) filter,
which is effective in removing finer solid particles which may have been missed in the initial
filtration step. The carbon also aids in the reduction of water turbidity, and in removing
odors. The water is now available via a tap outlet as potable quality water for consumption.
This filter is based on a design produced by UNICEF (Figure 3), which has been shown to be
effective in similar applications.

4
 Figure 3 - The Unicef upflow charcoal filter

In keeping with the established design criteria, component selection for the water
purification system becomes important.

2.1 Proposed Components

The main components used are described below. The physical arrangement in which this
process is realised is illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4 - Piston pump arrangement

Double acting piston pump

This type of pump is used because it is:

 Self priming
 Robust/ durable (could tolerate dirt particulate etc)
 Easily powered by a range of sources (windmill, electric motor, combustion engine)
via simple vee belt arrangement
 Relatively cheap
 Simple construction- easy to service/ repair.

5
To drive the piston pump, it is planned to use a diesel engine, similar to that shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5 - Diesel Engine

An air cooled single cylinder diesel engine of 4HP will be implemented to drive the pump.
This option was chosen due to its simplicity, low maintenance requirements, as well as low
cost and fuel consumption rate compared to multiple cylinder or petrol combustion engines.
An internal combustion engine has been selected in preference to an electric motor, in order
to avoid complex and potentially dangerous (if not maintained) electrical systems.

The design utilises three 200L drums to be used as water containers to facilitate filtration
and sanitation. These containers, available in stainless steel or antibacterial plastic grades
are used in food production industries, are easily sourced from new as surplus at low cost,
and are ideally suited to this application. The proposed containers are shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6 – Food grade/ water containers

6
Figure 7 – Model/ Measurements of filtration system

7
2.2 System Considerations

Figure 8 - System with size reference

The size and capacity of the system components is based on Divikulam's current potable
water consumption rate of 1280L/day. As outlined in the design, the water supply to be
filtered for 1/2 a day is flocculated as a whole in the flocculation tank.

The flocculation tank:

This component is sized to hold a volume of 792L to allow for just over a 1/2 days water
usage. 2 lots of pond water are processed per day.

Figure 9 - Dimensions of flocculation tank

The volume is calculated to be:

8
The pump and motor:

A suitable capacity pump and motor is essential to the operation of the filtration system.

Since the top of the flocculation tank is 1.75m high, and the inlet pipe for the pump will be
submerged approx. 2m below the surface of the pond (assumed to be at ground level with
pump), the pump and motor combination must be capable of pumping 3.75m head at a
reasonable flow rate (around 10 minutes to fill tank).

For the purposes outlined in section 3, Methods and Materials Used, a double acting piston
pump has been chosen. Thus, a specific set of equations are applicable.

( )

( )

( )

Where is the radial displacement from the rotational axis of the crank.

( )

The selected AJAX A3 Piston pump‟s specifications are the following:

 ( )

 ( )

 ( )

 ( )

 ( )

 ( )

This however is only a basic calculation which considers the transfer of the water's mass, and
which does not consider water viscosity, losses in power transmission, friction of the piston
etc. The actual power required is significantly higher, with the manufacturer recommending

9
a 2HP motor to achieve a similar flow rate with this pump. The proposed 4HP diesel engine
should therefore be sufficient. Using this size engine is preferable, as smaller sizes are not
very common - making replacement easy and initial cost lower.

Note: The formulas used in the following calculations have been sourced from the following
two websites:

http://www.diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/e/n/engine%20excitation%20mechanisms/sou
rce.html

http://www.micromo.com/motor-calculations.aspx

2.3 Location of system

The filtration system will be housed inside the current community hall. Using this location is
an effective use of existing infrastructure, as the flocculation tank will need to be covered,
thereby avoiding unnecessary expenses in creating new structures. This will also increase the
effectiveness of the community hall, since residents will visit more frequently in order to
acquire water each day. The effectiveness of activities conducted at the hall will therefore
hopefully increase - e.g. an education campaign encouraging good health practices, or
general community notices.

2.4 Schedule for construction and completion of design

Given that the design is very basic, the actual construction of the water purification system is
straight forward, and projected to take very little time. The major elements are the steel
flocculation tank and steel frame, the 3 filtration containers, the engine and pump assembly,
and the interconnecting pipework.

The construction of the steel frame is to be outsourced to a metal fabrication shop, as it will
require welding. The tank and frame being constructed in this way is projected to take
2 days, and is then to be transported on site via truck. This is projected to take less than
1 week. While this is occurring, other materials can be sourced, such as the pump and motor,
the filtration containers and polyethylene pipework. In most areas these could all be sourced
immediately, however in consideration of the case of Devikulam, 1 week is allocated for this.
After the materials arrive onsite, assembly of the system can commence.

Job tasks include running a pipe in a shallow trench (300mm deep) from the pond to the
pump inlet, which will be located near the existing community centre. Pipework will then be
run from the outlet of the pump to the flocculation tank inlet, from the flocculation tank to
the first filtration tank inlet, to the second tank, to the third tank, and terminated with a tap
on the outlet of the final outlet container.

The pipe and fittings used for this will be of a polyethylene material. Theycan be hand
tightened (no tools required) and easy to connect, meaning this process will take less than 10
hours, requiring a plumber, or someone familiar with irrigation systems, and 10 workers to
dig the trench.

The barrels are filled with the appropriate grades of sand, which will require 1 unskilled
laborer and 3 hours effort. The motor mounting on the pump is standard, and can be
ordered pre-mounted with an appropriate belt drive, eliminating this as an onsite job task.

10
The system can then be tested - which will expose any water leaks etc. This whole process is
projected to take 9 days.

Construction advice

While the design is basic the following work needs to undertaken:

1. Position the tank and frame, pump and filtration containers in appropriate positions
in the existing community hall before running pipework, to ensure correct pipe
lengths are cut
2. Use an observer with pickets in order to establish a straight line marking from the
pump to the pond, so that the distance of the trench to be dug is as short as possible
3. Connect pipework before filling the filtration containers with sand, as they will be
difficult to reposition once filled, due to weight
4. Operate the pump to test for leaks in pipework, and re-tighten if necessary.

Roles and recommended qualifications:

Role Qualification Number of workers

recommended
Digging trench Experience in farming/ 10
cultivation
Connecting pipework Basic plumbing/ irrigation 1
experience
Marking out straight line from Basic surveying 2
pond to pump
Tank and frame fabrication Welding and fabrication 2
experience
Filling containers with sand Basic labourer 1

11
3. Methods and Materials Used
Grey and Black Water Recycling System

It is proposed that all effluent from the Devikulam community will enter a septic tank
containing a skimming system. Water enters the system through a well in the center and
separates out the solids by having arms on the top and bottom that sweep solids from the
main body of water. After solids have either sunk or floated, the cleaner water from the
middle layer exits through an outlet while the water containing the solids from the top and
bottom are swept to different outlets.

The “clean” water outlet will feed into the planter boxes while the “dirty” water outlets will go
to the existing septic tanks where the solids are mixed and liquefied by an electric motor.
This is then sprayed across a designated area of property according to a sustainable plan.

The materials necessary to build such a system cannot be sourced locally and more research
will need to be done if this path is taken.

Pond Water Filtration System

This method takes water from the pond and runs it through a mesh filter. The water then sits
for a day with added alum which acts as a flocculating agent. Solids are then skimmed off the
surface. Once the secondary holding tank fills the water is released and passes through sand
to remove suspended particles. More alum is added to react with phosphate ions; this allows
them to be removed which in turn prevent algal buildup. To reduce the solution to a more
neutral state so as to avoid corrosion to the pipe infrastructure and provide a solution that
will kill any pathogenic microbes during the period in which the water is stored.

For this method the consumable materials required to maintain the system are:

 Sand ($25-50/m , though perhaps cheaper if sourced closer)

 Alum ($56.59/ML)
 Sodium hypo chloride (solid chlorine) ($1.41/L or $1/kg)1

Estimated component cost schedule:

 Pump = $1,200
 Diesel engine = $885
 200L drums x3 = $150

The total non-consumable component cost of the system is $2,235US.

In general, unorganised workers in India do not earn more than 50Rs/day ($1US) and
workers under the minimum wage law 100Rs/day. The project would not take more than a
maximum of a month to assemble and any more than 10 workers would make the process
inefficient. Assuming we pay the workers 3 times the minimum wage, the maximum labour
cost would be $900.

1Solid sodium chlorite information [ONLINE] available at: http://www.alibaba.com/product-

gs/449027342/78_80_90_solid_sodium_chlorite.html

12
Maintenance costs cannot be exactly accounted for without full scale testing but can be
approximated.

Diesel fuel is about 3.15Rs/L = $0.063/L and it is estimated the motor will run for 20
minutes each day at 541mL/hour.

m h m
min usage.
h min day
m
for fuel.
day m day

Sand must be replaced every 2 weeks this amounts in total to 300L, 200L from the first tank
and 100L from the second. The approximate weight of the sand is 1.5kg/L.

kg kg
day day

kg m3
for sand.
m3 day m3 day

The alum usage for flocculation is 87mg/L 2 and approximately 1600L of water is being
treated per day.

mg g g g
( )
mg day day

for alum.
day day

The amount of sodium hypo chloride required each day is 1mg/L 3 with approximately 1600L
being used per day.

g g
( ) for sodium hypo chloride.
day kg day

The total cost for the consumable components in the system per day is $0.648US.

2 Sean Doyle, Conference paper, flocculation available at:

http://www.wioa.org.au/conference_papers/09_vic/documents/SeanDoyleposter.pdf
3 Sodium Hypochlorite Generation available at:

http://web.mit.edu/watsan/Docs/Student%20Theses/Nepal/Morganti2002.pdf

13
4. Discussion and Analysis
Economic, Environmental and Social Analysis

The purpose of the EWB is to aid communities or villages that are disadvantaged or in need
of assistance due to an immediate or upcoming problem, while at the same time creating
sustainable programs that can also comply with any local values, ethics and traditions. The
focus for 2011 is a village on the Eastern Coast of India, Devikulam. The “Engineers” decided
to focus on improving the supply of water to Devikulam and which also included
environmental benefits and increased sustainability of the workings of the village.

The first option considered was a grey/black water system that would recycle used water and
return it for use in agriculture and washing.

The second option was a system that would provide a renewable drinking water supply
through filtering the local pond water.

The greatest challenge focuses on using Devikulam‟s limited resources more efficiently and
effectively. The cheapest option, however, cannot necessarily be taken if it clashes with social
traditions or jeopardises the environment.

In regards to values, ethics and traditions of the villagers, both options do not impact on any
significant structures or change the sources of water, eliminating any possibilities of
disrupting the community. Both options, however, would benefit the community socially,
economically and environmentally.

4.1 Option 1: Grey and Black Water Recycling System

The system will take household water, from the kitchen, laundry, bathroom and toilet, and
output treated, recycled water appropriate for use on gardens, agriculture and other similar
purposes.

Recycled irrigation water cannot be used on vegetation that is for human consumption (e.g.
food crops, vegetables), and as such this water would be used to irrigate other target areas
e.g. native vegetation. This will prevent the recycled water from penetrating the water table
and causing contamination, as the plants will help to absorb it.

Advantages:

 Will decrease the rate at which the water provided to the village by the bore system is
contaminated and as a result, increase the capacity of the systems to supply clean
water.
 Will make the village smell better due to human waste being distributed and treated
elsewhere. This in turn will encourage further tourism and diversify the town‟s
economy.
 Will decrease the spread of disease through the reduction of open waste.

14
Disadvantages:

 Another system would need to be devised in conjunction with this one to pump all the
waste water to the treatment tanks requiring additional (scarce) investment.
 Multiple areas would need to be designated to distribute the waste material so it
could decompose without building up and promoting bacteria growth and possibly
disease. This means these areas could not be used for agriculture or any other forest
industry.
 May have negative impacts on the environment and local ecosystem as the waste may
kill some delicate wildlife and stimulate reproduction of pests such as flies.

4.2 Option 2: Pond Water Filtration System (Renewable Drinking Water

Supply)

This system will take water from the local pond, which has impurities and contaminates
from animals and humans washing and excreting waste, and convert it into potable water
through a filtration and sanitation system. This will reduce the strain put on the ground
water supply and in turn decrease the salinity of the water coming out of the taps as it is
supplemented with the treated pond water. This will also reduce the town‟s dependence on
the main bore/tank system, and will make water available more continuously.

Advantages:

 Reduced reliance on bore water will decrease the increasing levels of salinity in the
ground water thereby extending the usable life of the bore source.
 Less strain on the bore system will reduce associated maintenance costs allowing
money to be redirected to other aspects of the community.
 A more reliable and accessible source of drinking water that will be more convenient
and sustainable.
 Increased water capacity of Devikulam and will therefore be able to accommodate
more tourism and hence stimulate the local economy.

Disadvantages:

 Maintenance of proposed filtration/sanitation would require sand and charcoal to be

replaced semi-regularly.
 The energy used to power the system is not renewable and a recurring additional
cost.
 In the longer term the system may put strain on the pond levels and have unforeseen
impacts which could unbalance the ecosystem.

The village of Devikulam has limited financial resources and it is vital to keep expenditure to
a minimum in order to allow money to be available for other aspects of the community that
need attention. It is therefore essential to design a solution that is based on local materials
and which will last a long time while being cost effective.

As seen in the Materials and Methods Used (Section 3) the consumable materials for option
2 are easily accessible and cheap to buy with the largest cost being the upfront investment in
machinery together with the ongoing maintenance effort.

15
5. Results and Comparisons
This report explores two major concepts and methods for improving the water and waste
management system within the rural and remote village of Devikulam in southern India.

The first, is a highly effective and efficient solution which will successfully filter and recycle
grey and black water created within the village. It will produce water that is readily available
for reuse in domestic and agricultural applications. However, according to our research the
village does not produce large quantities of grey and black waste water into a recoverable
system. This results from a lack of community infrastructure in plumbing etc. The group
considered designing a plumbing system for the village early in the brainstorming and
development stages, however this idea was deemed to be non-viable as it is both costly in
resources and finances. Due to these limitations the group‟s first concept was quickly
dismissed and alternatives investigated.

The second, and more successful design concept, is the pond water filtration system. This
design utilises several of the aspects explored in the brainstorming and development stages
and their combination nets a highly effective product. The resultant system will be able to
filter over 1,000 litres of polluted water per day and output a safe reliable consistent source
of drinking water. Comparing our final design to many of the currently used and functional
systems throughout Australia and the world, we can see the effectiveness that it will provide.
Many domestic systems used throughout the world are based on a similar theory to this
design where polluted water is fed into some form of pretreatment and then input into
planter box system. Our group‟s proposed system will create an ecological friendly system as
it does not use excessive or unsafe chemicals or methods of water treatment typically seen in
many other commonly used water filtration systems.

This design also avoids causing negative impacts on the local culture as all areas impacted
will be chosen with guidance from the local community taking into account the variety of
castes in the village. This caste issue will also be further addressed through the availability of
water from the pump over a period of seven hours per day which will reduce the
congregation of the two castes at the water source.

The only major negative factor within this design is the dependency of the system on diesel
fuel to run the small pump. This problem, however, should be easily overcome as the village
has a diesel powered tractor that is regularly used. The pump will be able to use a small
percentage of this fuel as it is a very fuel efficient pump. This degree of fuel usage is also
reduced due to the gravity fed design of the filtration system.

The specifications for the diesel engine suggest the rate of fuel consumption is approximately
363mL/KwH. In this application, this equates to approximately 541mL/hour fuel
consumption.

Overall, this design will prove to be a cost effective, reliable and efficient form of creating a
safe drinking water source that will address a growing problem within the remote village and
improve the overall living standards of the local inhabitants.

16
6. Conclusions
The implementation of a complete water filtration system will significantly improve the
quality of fresh drinking water within Devikulam village. This improved water quality, and
quantity will reduce the dependency on unsafe and non-renewable bore water and allow for
the safe consumption of fresh water which will drastically improve the sanitation and health
levels within the village. This system concept is a relatively cheap, effective and
environmentally sound method of increasing the standard of living for the 380 residence at
the Devikulam village.

The main reasons that the Pond Water Filtration System option was chosen include:

 Reduced reliability on bore water will decrease the increasing levels of salinity in the
ground water thereby extending the usable life of the bore source
 Less strain on the bore system will reduce associated maintenance costs allowing
money to be redirected to other aspects of the community
 A more reliable and accessible source of drinking water that will be more convenient
and sustainable
 Increased water capacity of Devikulam will result in the town being able to
accommodate more tourism and hence stimulate the local economy.

All these meets the aim of the EWB challenge of “facilitating meaningful and lasting change”.

7. Recommendations
The group was challenged to “ come up with a solution that provides more clean drinking
water and/or preventing the contamination of existing supplies”. The solution that best
satisfies this as well as the needs of Devikulam is Option 2 – the Pond Water Filtration
System (Renewable Drinking Water Supply).

Compared to previously implemented solutions, this proposed solution is simple in terms of

concept and construction, with minimal running costs. Many of the solution elements have
proven „real-world‟ effectiveness (e.g. UNICEF derived sand filter).

In addition to the fulfillment of certain technical criteria, the overall success of this proposal
is dependent upon its acceptance and utilisation by the people of Devikulam.

In consideration of this, difficulties which the residents may encounter in accepting this
proposal include the cost, and the ongoing maintenance of the system (fuel for engine,
cleaning floc from tank, replacing sand in filters). However, the benefits of this system,
economically, socially and environmentally, will far outweigh the costs (as seen the in
Section 4.2; Analysis).

17
8. References
Note: References have been given for information that has been incorporated throughout the
report and may not have been specifically cited in the text.

Devikulam Information. 2011. [ONLINE] Available at:

http://www.buzza.in/Gramap2/Devikulam_information.html. [Accessed 17 August 2011]

DEVIKULAM Weather, Devikulam Weather Forecast, Temperature, Festivals, Best Season.

2011. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.mustseeindia.com/Devikulam-weather. [Accessed
17 August 2011]

Idukki District of Kerala - An official website. 2011. [ONLINE] Available at:

http://idukki.nic.in/. [Accessed 22 August 2011]

Viluppuram - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2011. [ONLINE] Available at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viluppuram. [Accessed 22 August 2011].

Devikulam Tourism Information [ONLINE] Available at:

http://www.hillresortsinindia.com/devikulam.html. [Accessed 22 August 2011].

Tamil Nadu Location and Climate Tourism Information [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.indiaatitsbest.com/tamil-nadu/location-and-climate.html. [Accessed 22 August
2011].

Piston Pumps - Documents [ONLINE] Available at:

http://pistonpumps.com.au/documents/ajax_A2andA3_pump_info.pdf. [Accessed 25
September 2011].

4.2 HP Diesel Engine, Heavy Duty Single Cylinder, Vertical 4-cycle Air Cooled Diesel
[ONLINE] Available at: http://www.xsstock.com.au/easyweb3/ep_code-e002prdMoreInfo-
prd_id-240133. [Accessed 25 September 2011].

Eide, A. R, et al (2002) Engineering fundamentals and problem solving (4th edition),

McGraw-Hill: New York

Engine excitation methods and calculations [ONLINE] Available at:

http://www.diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/e/n/engine%20excitation%20mechanisms/sou
rce.html [Accessed 7 October 2011]

Motor Calculations: calculating Mechanical Power Requirements [ONLINE] Available at:

http://www.micromo.com/motor-calculations.aspx [Accessed 7 October 2011]

4.2 HP Diesel Engine key specifications [ONLINE] Available at:

http://chinahailin.vendingsources.com/product_1008785333.html [Accessed 7 October
2011]

Solid sodium chlorite information [ONLINE] Available at:

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/449027342/78_80_90_solid_sodium_chlorite.html.
[Accessed 7 October 2011].

18
Sean Doyle, Conference paper, flocculation [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.wioa.org.au/conference_papers/09_vic/documents/SeanDoyleposter.pdf
[Accessed 7 October 2011].

SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE GENERATION [ONLINE] Available at:

http://web.mit.edu/watsan/Docs/Student%20Theses/Nepal/Morganti2002.pdf. [Accessed
7 October 2011].

19
Appendices
Appendix [A] – Devikulam location map

Source: [http://maps.google.com.au/maps?gcx=c&q=devikulam&um=1&ie=UTF-
8&hl=en&sa=N&tab=wl]

20
Appendix [B] – Performance reflection

Overview of team performance:

The team collaborated their ideas throughout the course of the project, making use of online
meetings. This enabled easy communication as problems developed, and allowed for fast
clarification amongst the group. Thus, the communication throughout the project was
effective and beneficial.

Teamwork was sufficient to complete the project too, with an even spreading of the
workload, which was again aided by the good communication. This allowed the report to be
finished in the most effective manner, as everyone had a similar workload; each person was
able to complete their tasks in a similar amount of time, meaning completion occurred as
soon as possible. Time was generally well managed although of course completing all aspects
earlier on and spending additional time proof reading and editing is always beneficial. In this
case, we have struck a balance which has allowed us to completely the project efficiently.

Roles within the Group:

Team Leader

In the group there was no one person who was the “leader”. This role was taken in turns
between all team members. It depended on what type of work was occurring and the type of
decisions that had to be made. Each team member had different strengths, as such the leader
changed dependent of the situation. If decisions were needed on design and calculations,
Chris W and Andy Stewart took the lead compared to decisions in regards to report work,
Andrew V made most of the decisions.

Facilitator

The facilitator role was taken mainly by Pete A, Andrew V and Chris W as the three lived in
the same college campus with adequate resources and facilities to meet, work and practice
presentations. There was different times when each of us would organised when to meet,
what was needed for the meeting and what the meeting was to achieve.

Recorder

This role was done primarily by Chris W. He recorded the minutes of the meetings and
compiled all the results, and results information. At one of our earlier meeting we discussed
who had the best access to information and printing. Since Andrew V had a printer he would
be the compiler of the report.

Team member styles:

Andy Stewart

This member was mainly a contributor because he provided large amounts of “relevant
knowledge, skills” and data from their previous studies. Andy contributed with the
fundamental design knowledge and speedy calculations which gave us a pilferer of choices
for our design that was in depth and provided detailed information about the theory behind
both proposals. During this assignment, his role was primarily the development of the
method used to treat the water. This involved developing a chemical process, as well as

21
choosing mechanical devices to complete the aim of water purification. From this, a
flowchart and CAD model were developed. Calculations were also performed regarding
motor sizing and capacity for the water pump. Throughout the development of the method, it
was important to maintain the criteria for the design, such as low cost. This meant being
resourceful was important, which brought about the use of recycled food grade containers for
instance.

Pete Anstice

This team member was a collaborator they could see most of what had to been done but
occasionally over looked a few small details, which were picked up by the other members of
the group. He was willing to do any task he was allocated to get the job done on time (e.g.
writing up the abstract, conclusion and introduction before everyone else so that the other
team members could correctly write up their parts that lined up with the overall aims and
conclusion), this shows that he is cooperative and flexible.

Andrew Vild

This team member displayed some qualities of a challenger as “they openly question the
process, ideas and the other team members”. Andrew was quick to challenge Andy and Chris‟
design and propose a design which used less material and was more environmentally
sustainable through the use of similar theory but a different process. This member was also
the main collaborator in the group, motivating the other team members and writing down
what each member needed to do and by what time.

Chris Wodzinski

This team member was the organiser. He put all the report together after the other members
had given him their information and made a time to host most of the meetings. He didn‟t
have the depth of knowledge about sanitation and the theory behind it as compared to the
other members of the group, but now has a better understanding through collaboration with
the other members. This member was also diligent through his recordings of each meeting
and contributed often to discussion on where the report should be headed and ideas to take
into account the environmental, economical and social impacts our ideas would have on the
Devikulam community.

Team Dynamics:

The team that we formed was very effective. We all got along well and we were able to easily
communicate with each other and express our ideas. We came from different areas and had
done different secondary studies so when we formed our group we had a mix of knowledge
and skills that were useful. Our team growth can certainly be summarised by the four stages;
Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing.

Forming

During this stage we got to know each other better and started to learn how to better manage
tasks so they didn‟t take so long. During this stage it took a long time for us to make
decisions about the projects, since we all had different ideas and knowledge and decide what
each team member was required to do to ensure equal workloads.

22
Storming

During this stage we had a few problems because each team member had different ideas
about how the work should be done and presented this resulted in a lot of wasted time and
parts of the projects being changed three or four times. Trust was a big part of our decision
making process, with everyone having different design ideas we had to trust each other‟s
knowledge base and designs.

Norming

During this stage we started to make group „rules‟ were we all had to reach a consensus
before a decision was made. We also started make better use of our different skills but we did
not fully make use of this until later on, in the process.

Performing

During this stage we all accepted a standard for the way to present reports for the projects
and we made more efficient use of the skills of different team members e.g. allowing Andy to
write up the detailed design of the options, going in depth to details of the projects, while
Andrew did research in the culture, economy and environmental state of the villagers of
Devikulam. Pete was the one who defined the overall aim of the project and came up with the
conclusion to give the other group members a “light at the end of the tunnel” to aim for.
Meanwhile, Chris was the one who had to do the table of contents, list of figures,
nomenclature, acknowledgement, recommendations, references and piece each other team
members work into the one document. We found we were able to make better use of our
different skills to complete the job a lot faster with no time wasted arguing over minor
details. More recently we have found that we are able to do are larger volume of work in a
shorter period of time compared to when we were still in the forming stage.

Experience gained:

Throughout the project, the different activities undertaken for the project allowed for the
gaining of experience in several areas. The criteria for the report required an extensive
approach using the engineering method- thus experience was gained in learning what is
required to design a project, from start to pre-construction. E.g. initial planning, comparison
of proposals, selection of best proposal, component selection and justification with
calculation, design drawing and layout, initial and operating cost analysis, projected
construction times and skills requirements for implementation.

The purpose of each section became apparent as the report was completed, overall giving a
better understanding of engineering method. Specific knowledge was also gained through
research, such as in the chemical water treatment process- including the chemistry and
purpose of each stage of filtration.

Appendix [C] - Meeting reports (Attached on following page).

23
 Page 1 of 1
Report date: 23/08/2011
Prepared by: A. Stewart, A. Vild, C. Wodzinski & P. Anstice
ENGG154 Meeting Report

Project
Engineering without Borders Draft Prelim. Report Meeting date:
Place 17/08/11
International Houes, North Wollongong 16:30 - 18:00
Purpose
Breakdown of report structure/content; Delegation of future tasks Minutes issued to:
Attendance All in attendance
Andy Stewart (AS) Chris Wodzinski (CW)
Andrew Vild (AV) Peter Anstice (PA)

Agenda / Summary of Actions

Item Subject Action Date

Breakdown of report structure/content:

1
Gathering group information for cover sheet. ALL 17/8/11
Analysis of marking criteria, guidelines for report. ALL 17/8/11

Delegation of further tasks:

2
Report
Abstract PA 17/8/11
Acknowledgement CW 17/8/11
Table of Contents CW 17/8/11
List of Figures/Tables CW 17/8/11
Nomenclature CW 17/8/11
Introduction PA 17/8/11
Main Sections
Theory/Modeling AS 17/8/11
Methods/Materials AV 17/8/11
Economic Analysis AV 17/8/11
Results N/A
Discussion and Analysis N/A
Conclusion PA 17/8/11
Recommendations CW 17/8/11
References CW 17/8/11
Appendices CW 17/8/11
 Page 1 of 1
Report date: 23/08/2011
Prepared by: A. Stewart, A. Vild, C. Wodzinski & P. Anstice
ENGG154 Meeting Report

Project
Engineering without Borders Draft Prelim. Report Meeting date:
Place 21/08/2011
International Houes, North Wollongong 09:30 - 11:30
Purpose
Final proof reading/editing anaylsis. Minutes issued to:
Attendance All in attendance
Andy Stewart (AS) Chris Wodzinski (CW)
Andrew Vild (AV) Peter Anstice (PA)

Agenda / Summary of Actions

Item Subject Action Date

Breakdown of report structure/content:

1
ALL read through the report making corrections to make it a more concise ALL 21/8/11
report.

Final proof and edit, Printing final copy of report:

2
As above. ALL 21/8/11
 Page 1 of 1
Report date: 30/08/2011
Prepared by: A. Stewart, A. Vild, C. Wodzinski & P. Anstice
ENGG154 Meeting Report

Project
Engineering without Borders Final Prelim. Report Meeting date:
Place 26/08/2011
International Houes, North Wollongong 15:30 - 17:00
Purpose
Research / collection of final ideas; Reflection on previous work. Minutes issued to:
Attendance All in attendance
Andy Stewart (AS) Chris Wodzinski (CW)
Andrew Vild (AV) Peter Anstice (PA)

Agenda / Summary of Actions

Item Subject Action Date

Breakdown of report structure/content:

1
ALL 26/8/11
Further research into EWB model, Theory collection and Final options.

Reflection on peer marking:

2
Analysis of Draft Prelim. Report marking notes. ALL 26/8/11
 Page 1 of 1
Report date: 30/08/2011
Prepared by: A. Stewart, A. Vild, C. Wodzinski & P. Anstice
ENGG154 Meeting Report

Project
Engineering without Borders Final Prelim. Report Meeting date:
Place 28/08/2011
International Houes, North Wollongong 14:30 - 13:30
Purpose
Final proof reading/ editing analysis. Minutes issued to:
Attendance All in attendance
Andy Stewart (AS) Chris Wodzinski (CW)
Andrew Vild (AV) Peter Anstice (PA)

Agenda / Summary of Actions

Item Subject Action Date

Final proof and edit, Printing final copy of report:

1
As Above. ALL 28/8/11
 Page 1 of 1
Report date: 4/10/2011
Prepared by: A. Stewart, A. Vild, C. Wodzinski & P. Anstice
ENGG154 Meeting Report

Project
Engineering without Borders Draft Final Report Meeting date:
Place 28/09/2011
International Houes, North Wollongong 13:30 - 14:30
Purpose
Final proof reading/editing anaylsis. Minutes issued to:
Attendance All in attendance
Andrew Stewart (AS) Chris Wodzinski (CW)
Andrew Vild (AV) Peter Anstice (PA)

Agenda / Summary of Actions

Item Subject Action Date

Breakdown of report structure/content:

1
ALL read through the report making corrections to make it a more concise ALL 28/9/11
report.

Reflection on peer marking:

2
Analysis of Final Prelim. Report marking notes. ALL 28/9/11
 Page 1 of 1
Report date: 4/10/2011
Prepared by: A. Stewart, A. Vild, C. Wodzinski & P. Anstice
ENGG154 Meeting Report

Project
Engineering without Borders Draft Final Report. Meeting date:
Place 2/10/2011
International Houes, North Wollongong. 11:30 - 12:30
Purpose
Final proof reading/ editing analysis. Minutes issued to:
Attendance All in attendance
Andrew Stewart (AS) Chris Wodzinski (CW)
Andrew Vild (AV) Peter Anstice (PA)

Agenda / Summary of Actions

Item Subject Action Date

Final proof and edit, Printing final copy of report:

1
As Above. ALL 2/10/11
 Page 1 of 1
Report date: 11/10/2011
Prepared by: A. Stewart, A. Vild, C. Wodzinski & P. Anstice
ENGG154 Meeting Report

Project
Engineering without Borders Final Report Meeting date:
Place 8/10/2011
International Houes, North Wollongong 11:30 - 12:30
Purpose
Final report editing anaylsis. Minutes issued to:
Attendance All in attendance
Chris Wodzinski (CW)
Andrew Vild (AV)

Agenda / Summary of Actions

Item Subject Action Date

Reflection on peer marking:

1
Analysis of Prelim. Report on peer marking notes. ALL 8/10/11

Delegation of final tasks:

2
Each member given notes to edit their sections of the report. ALL 8/10/11
 Page 1 of 1
Report date: 11/10/2011
Prepared by: A. Stewart, A. Vild, C. Wodzinski & P. Anstice
ENGG154 Meeting Report

Project
Engineering without Borders Final Report Meeting date:
Place 10/10/2011
International Houes, North Wollongong 17:30 - 18:00
Purpose
Final proof reading and printing Minutes issued to:
Attendance All in attendance
Andrew Stewart (AS) Chris Wodzinski (CW)
Andrew Vild (AV) Peter Anstice (PA)

Agenda / Summary of Actions

Item Subject Action Date

Final proof and edit, Printing final copy of report:

1
As Above. ALL 10/10/11