Bringing Clean Water to Rural Communities in Developing Countries: A Well for the Community in Agrippa Todzi, Togo

Authors

  • Laurent Ahiablame Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University
  • Jacob Ohlemiller Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University
  • Emily Stein Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University
  • Samuel Noel Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University
  • Bernard Engel Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Abstract

This paper presents a summary of a student funded project for the construction of a community water well in Agrippa Todzi, a small farming village in Togo. A survey was conducted to quantify daily water usage and investigate access to improved latrines in the village. Sixty eight percent of the survey participants reported having access to a clean water source. Based on estimates, the daily average water consumption per capita was near 17 L. Only 13% of respondents reported having access to an improved latrine. The completion of the project is a valuable contribution to the local water supply. The project provided a unique opportunity for international experience and service learning to the students involved. Keywords: Drinking water, well, sanitation, Togo, rural community

Author Biographies

Laurent Ahiablame, Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Laurent M. Ahiablame, MS. M.ASABE. I am currently a Ph.D. student in the department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University, Indiana (USA). My research interests include water quality chemistry, water quality monitoring and modeling, pollutant transport in aquatic systems, and hydropower systems. Contact: Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, 225 South University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2093, (Email: lamah@purdue.edu).

Jacob Ohlemiller, Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Mr. Ohlemiller is an undergraduate student in the Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering with focus in Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering (ENRE).

Emily Stein, Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Miss. Stein is an undergraduate student in the Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering with focus in Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering (ENRE).

Samuel Noel, Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Mr. Noel is an undergraduate student in the Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering with focus in Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering (ENRE).

Bernard Engel, Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Bernard A. Engel, Ph.D. M.ASABE. He is a Professor and Department Head in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University, Indiana (USA). His research interests are Soil and Water Engineering with Interests in Water Quality, Drainage, Subirrigation, Surface Irrigation and Erosion Control. These application areas are supported with basic research in fields of GIS, expert systems and neural networks. He is listed in Who's Who Among University Educators and Who's Who in Science and Engineering; he was a NASA Summer Faculty Fellow in 1992 and 1993. Contact: Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, 225 South University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2093, phone: 765-494-1134; fax: 765-496-1115, (Email: engelb@purdue.edu).

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Published

2011-12-29

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2011)

Section

Case Studies

License

Copyright for articles published in this journal is retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. By virtue of their appearance in this open access journal, articles are free to use, with proper attribution, in educational and other non-commercial settings.