With population rates rising rapidly in Uganda, water has become increasingly difficult to access. Water is a vital resource, needed for drinking, sanitation, agriculture, and industry uses. With this increased need, over extraction has become an issue, leading to depletion of sources. This impacts aquatic life and the wetlands ecosystem, and dries out important water sources. This is particularly an issue in Kakoma that a group of students has set out to change.
A team of students from the IEEE Uganda Section, with origins at Kyambogo University, have collaborated with The Tarm Foundation to create a solar-powered water pumping system to provide water to the people of Kakoma.
The water pump system consists of solar panels, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms and efficient power conversion techniques, which work to maximize the amount of power that can come from the solar energy. The energy surplus is stored in a lithium ion battery for use when natural light is low. The pump also has a detection system with sensors to prevent wasting water.
The water system delivers 1.5 meters cubed an hour. It has the capacity to serve 20 liters to over 75 people per hour and to a total of 900 people in a day.
The device will be protected by fence and wire to prevent theft and prevent animal interference.
The team also hopes to encourage rainwater harvesting via a workshop in Kakoma by educating the community about tools and techniques necessary to do so. They also hope that the project will encourage the community to support the protection of the wetlands, and to educate about how vital they are to environmental health.
This project was made possible by a $9,994.99 grant from EPICS in IEEE.