Solar-Powered Solution Overcomes Challenges and Provides Clean Drinking Water to Tribal Community at Sahibganj, Jharkhand

Solar Powered Drinking Water System at Sahibganj
Location: Sahibganj, Jharkhand
Capacity: 2 Hp 200 meter head customized pump, 2 Hp 90-meter head pump
Department: DWS Jharkhand
Purpose: Drinking Water System

Overview

It is a basic human requirement to have access to drinking water and to supply their daily life requirements with water. Jharkhand’s scenic tribal district of Sahibganj is located along the Ganga River. Due to its rough, steep terrain, the district does not have a reliable source of water.

The following issues were encountered while developing a plan to install a reliable drinking water system:

  • A hilly terrain caused the reliable water level to be 150 meters deep. Water is therefore difficult to obtain, so residents must travel long distances.
  • There was a lack of transportation and telecom connectivity in remote regions due to the low population density and the locations of the sites.
  • The tank top had limited installation space of a 6 ft x 6 ft area for installing solar modules.
  • Water contains arsenic.
  • The site did not have proper electricity

 

Our Solution

Despite the difficulties associated with after-sales services, shipping and delivery issues, and the lack of labour to complete the pump installation, most contractors were unwilling to take on the project. Using top-of-the-line engineering, SunShell Power resolved all the issues and difficulties by building a 2 HP BLDC Solar Drinking Water System under the PTG program of the DWS Department. Here is what we planned:

  • Using deep groundwater to reduce water’s arsenic content
  • The water is stored in a concrete tank 20 feet high with a capacity of 5000 litres
  • The tank has four water taps installed under it to supply water to the villagers

 

In A Glance

  • 2 HP customized pump (200-meter head) with 8 modules (335 Wp)
  • 2 HP pump (90 meters head) with 6 modules (335 Wp)
  • Light weight heavy strength hot dip galvanized structure to fit in a tank top
  • The hanging pump is lower than usual so that it can operate in the summer season, too
  • We drill and install the structure at the top of the tank using solar power
  • Civil structures with proper structural strength were installed to avoid damage to solar modules in hailstorms.
  • Single sites were executed in a single day to avoid the hassle of transportation

 

Impact

The solar power pump drinking water system project has had a significant positive impact on the community by providing a new, reliable source of clean drinking water. It was previously contaminated with harmful arsenic. It has reduced the burden on women and children who previously had to walk long distances, navigating through rough terrain to fetch water. The project has also improved health and hygiene and contributed to the overall well-being of the community.

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