Ryan's Water Project in the Domincan Republic: Photos.
Ryan's Blog can be found at: http://www.ryanbiehl.blogspot.com/ That is where these photos were first posted.
Source A: The larger spring source runs over the ground. We covered much of the spring with rocks and then with concrete to prevent sediment from entering the pipes and avoid other contamination (from animals). Many of the places water comes out are holes made by freshwater crabs, a Dominican delicacy.
Source B: The smaller spring comes out of a nice rock making it easy to capture.
During various days when the rain stopped we sent up a total of 38 animal loads of river sand, gravel, and 100lb cement bags up to the source on a mountain path through the cacao forest and cow fields. Boys are often sent with the animals since they have lots of energy to make more than one trip, and like riding donkeys, horses and mules back down the mountain after sending materials up.
Cutting and threading 2" galvanized iron pipes by hand requires a few people and lots of leverage. Friends of the Dominican Republic donated the money to by the new pipe threading kit we are using here which is shared among volunteers.
Preparing the plumbing for the intake works. Usually includes a clean-out, outlet (with valve), respirator, and overflow pipes.
Source A: the area between two steel screens will be filled with sand to filter out silt or mud before it reaches the piping.
Getting ready to put the lid on.
After finishing the filter and plumber box, we began covering the rocks above with a thin cap of concrete to keep dirt, sand and leaves out. Crabs will probably keep living happily underneath without the fear of being caught. Shortly after this picture was taken, it began to downpour. We walked home in the rain and finished contstruction the next day.
Source B: Community masons Papote and Rafael building the front wall of intake works.
Finished obra de toma. Can't see it but there is actually a lot of water coming out the bottom clean out pipe. We forgot to take a picture of the women while they were cooking a delicious combo meal of rice-black beans-and chicken. En dominicano, un morro-locrio de pollo gringo y habichuela negras.