Back In Touch

This provides an update on the water and biogas projects. Posting to this blog have not been forthcoming because the internet was down for several days due to thunderstorm damage to the provider's equipment.

 

The water project is complete.  The second hole drilled had a very acceptable flow rate (about 20 L./min.), so the pump was installed and chlorine was added a few days ago to sanitize it. In the next day or so the chlorine will be pumped out and the well will be available for community use.  A very successful project. 

 

With the well done and the biogas contractor back in Kampala for a few days rest, our team took a few days off to head north to Murchinson National Park to see the falls on the Nile River plus do a game drive throug the park in an open vehicle. The park is massive. We stayed in Gulu and got up at 3 a.m. to drive to the park, getting there when the gates opened at 7 a.m. The early arrival gave us a shot at seeing more game and we were rewarded with spotting several lions within 150 feet.  Our guide said we were very lucky as he hadn't seen any in the last 3 months.  We also saw many water buffalo, elephants, warthogs, giraffes, hippos and much more.  A great experience.  Our transportation to Gulu was the well-driller's pickup truck. It was loaded in back with the drilling equipment, 6 men from the drilling crew, a motorcycle and Jim.  The 14-hour trip was over very bad dirt roads.  Along the way it rained a few times so the men covered themselves with a tarp but still got wet. Erin and I were fortunate to ride in the cab; Jim said we missed out on the comradierie.

 

The biogas project is going well. The mixing tank, digester trench with walls, effluent tank and roof are complete. The bag has been laid out in the trench and cow manure/water is being added today. The gas line to the kitchen is also being installed. Tomorrow we will fence off the area with barbed wire to keep the goats away.  Then the unit will sit for 2-3 weeks while the mixture ferments and creates biogas.  At that time QEnergy will return to teach the farm hands how to feed the digester with pig, chicken and goat manure. They will also install the burners in the kitchen then and teach the cooks how to use them.

 

Overall, we are very tired, very dirty and very satisfied that both projects are doing so nicely.