Addressing Water Scarcity in La Guajira: A Comparative Analysis of Four Water Systems
2023 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
During the recent prolonged drought in La Guajira, Colombia, the child mortality rate surged to 23.4 per 1000. With the focal point in rural Alta Guajira, a lack of rainfall and wind resulted in an acute potable water scarcity. This paper presents data gathered from interviews conducted with members of the WayĂșu indigenous group residing in Alta Guajira and the results surveying in field the solutions already present to the water scarcity. Four potential technological solutions were then devised and evaluated in this context: wind-driven wells, solar-driven wells, solar stills, and reverse osmosis desalination systems. This study shows that reverse osmosis desalination systems are economically unfeasible due to their high initial investment. Solar stills are concluded to be potentially viable for drought emergencies but prohibitively expensive due to their low productivity and area requirements. Solar-driven wells frequently break in the region, likely due to inadequate insulation in underground electrical components, but they represent a crucial yet non-existent complement for water production. Wind-driven wells are the most prominent water source, although relying solely on these creates significant risks. Hence a suggestion for mainly wind-driven production, complemented with solar-driven production, and backed by emergency systems of manual wells and solar stills is suggested.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2023.
Series
TRITA-SCI-GRU ; 2023:169
Keywords [en]
Drought, wells, desalination, La Guajira, Colombia, windmills, solar panels, MFS, Minor Field Study, development
National Category
Engineering and Technology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-331135OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-331135DiVA, id: diva2:1780244
External cooperation
Universidad de Rosario
Educational program
Master of Science in Engineering -Engineering Physics
Supervisors
Examiners
2023-07-052023-07-052023-07-05Bibliographically approved