In September, Water is Life Kenya Technical Engineering Committee (WILK-TEC) successfully upgraded and expanded the rainwater harvesting system at Enchakita Primary School. This marked the first phase of rehabilitation work for Enchakita, following a similar project completed by WILK-TEC at Imurtot Primary School.
WILK-TEC is a group of skilled engineers who design, develop, and implement sustainable water projects in Kenya. Since 2016, the group has collaborated with Water is Life Kenya and, as of last year, it has worked exclusively with WILK.
During their last visit to Kenya, while completing repairs at Imurtot, WILK-TEC completed an assessment of Enchakita Primary School. The school had an existing rainwater harvesting system; however, there was room for improvement because the system was not effectively retaining rainwater and lacked a filtration mechanism. As a result, the main goals of the September 2024 implementation were to enhance water retention capabilities and install a filtration system on two building sides.
Putting Engineering Expertise to Work
On Day 1, the team removed all of the existing gutters and hardware and hung new gutters on half of both buildings’ sides!
On Days 2 and 3 of the project, WILK-TEC focused on improving the gutters and tank functionality and setting up the first flush (filtering) system. The existing rainwater tanks at Enchakita Primary School lacked taps, so students and teachers had to climb up to retrieve water from the top. To address this, WILK-TEC installed taps on the tanks, making water access safer and more efficient. They also added a chlorine dispenser to ensure that the water remained sanitized, then they cleaned the tanks to remove large debris.
For the first flush system, which is designed to filter out the initial dirty water from rainfall, the team dug holes and poured concrete to provide the necessary support and stability for the structure. The system itself was built using PVC pipes and valves, carefully cut, sanded, and glued together. The first flush is intended to capture the first rush of rainwater, which typically contains debris and impurities, to ensure that only clean water flows into the storage tanks for later use.
On Day 4, WILK-TEC focused on finishing the gutters and performing tests to identify and repair any leaks. The team also hosted a meeting with the parents of the students, explaining how and why WILK-TEC was changing the system. Additionally, the team provided maintenance training to local stakeholders, ensuring that the community would be well-equipped to care for the system and address any common issues that might arise in the future.
The 5th and final day at Enchakita was spent putting the final touches on the system. The team also talked with the students, explaining the modifications and how the changes would improve the school’s access to clean water. WILK-TEC asked the students to keep track of the system and let the team know what improvements need to be made when they return.
Some Rest, then Planning for the Return Trip
After almost a week of hard work rehabilitating the rainwater harvesting system at Enchaktia Primary School, the WILK-TEC team spent their weekend at Amboseli National Park, shopping and exploring the local area.
WILK-TEC is extremely excited to have completed the first phase of work at Enchakita, and even more excited to start planning phase 2!
