EWB@WSU -

DWT Hand Pump

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:51:06 -0700

11 October 2009: Flow Rate Testing
EWB@WSU conducted flow-rate testing on a hand pump designed by a non-profit group, Developing World Technologies. The pump was originally designed as part of a WSU senior design project. The four students who worked on that project started up DWT and continue to refine their pump design. When fully refined, these pumps will be used in Malawi to move drinking water and for irrigation.
A group of EWB@WSU members worked with Dr. Howard Davis to carry out the testing. Those present included:

David McDonald, Project Leader
Bryan Young
Rory Beckstrom
Melissa Bogert
Said Abdi-dhaharand
Ezra Griffey

Green Energy at WSU Organic Farm

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:35:44 -0800

Overview: EWB@WSU is designing a wind-solar hybrid system to be installed at the WSU Organic Farm. Our project objectives are twofold. First, we wish to put the farm off the grid using a sustainable energy technique. This will support the farm manager’s goal in providing a self-sustaining farm. Loads will include a greens washing machine, power tool chargers, scales, lighting, and a computer for inventory. Second, we wish to provide an educational link for the university community become more involved in renewable energy. One of the important pieces of this link will be a real time transfer of solar, wind, and power information to the Renewable Energy lab on campus. We plan to install a small weather system at the site to measure wind speed, wind direction, light intensity, and temperature. This data will accompany the current and voltage measurements in the transmission to the university.

Concepción, Chile Lake Remediation

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:29:21 -0700

Lake Las Tres Pacuales is located within the boundaries of Concepción, Chile and controlled by the municipality is polluted from years of unregulated waste (both liquid and solid) entering the system. The lake is 5.3 hectares (13 acres) in size, and the types of pollutants present might have already been identified by previous theses studies conducted by students at the Universidad de Concepción (UdeC). A thorough search of the university library will be required.
At the current time, approximately 60 houses have sewer systems that discharge untreated sewage into the lake, and the surrounding urban area (both residential and industrial) contributes to the solid and additional liquid contamination of the water. During the summer months, the lake becomes eutrophic and water plants require harvesting several times each year.

What We Do & Why We Care

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:33:47 -0800

EWB@WSU partners with BWB@WSU in assisting disadvantaged communities across Northwestern America and around the world to improve quality of life through sustainable, environmental, and economically sound engineering projects, all the while developing an internationally responsible student body. As a member of EWB-USA, we are a non-profit registered student organization at Washington State University and operate solely on a volunteer-base.

At present there are more than 6 billion people on planet Earth, in 25 years there will be 8 billion, and 97% of the growth will be in developing countries.

Over 80% live in poverty
One-third have no electricity
Over a third die yearly from famine
Over 3 billion (half the world's population) have inadequate access to clean water and sanitation
6,000, mostly children, die each day due to unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene

statistics from http://www.un.org/