Easter Solar Time

My first solar pump-in-a-pail works really well

One of hundreds of "temporary" shelters from USAID - still in use after 5 years

Easter started with a bang – several actually. A very small procession, with the same band that plays for funeral marches, began at dawn, moving from the Plaza, through the cemetery and back to the church. I wish I could adequately convey just how sad (on many levels) this band is, but I still haven’t isolated the source of its bad-ness – repertoire, instruments or lack of talent. The procession was comprised of four guys carrying a shrine, followed by some ladies in robes and several very sleepy kids. For a town of 5,000, this seemed a pretty meager Easter turn-out. Meanwhile, M-80 style firecrackers pierced the early morning air. I have yet to make the connection between Easter and the small bombs.

But, I had other plans for the day. The Easter Bunny had very kindly delivered a solar panel and water pump and I was eager to try them out. OK, so there is no Easter Bunny – Many Thanks to my dear cousin Jan Plimpton, Director of Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota for her very kind donation and shipment of the equipment. She does enough good for the world every day and this was truly above and beyond. The shipment arrived via Diplomatic Pouch, by-passing customs and really speeding the project along. Final leg was via Soyuz bus to the Canete terminal. 8 days from Minneapolis to my hands has got to be some kind of PC record for freight. Also included, was enough electrical, pipe and duct tape to last for the rest of my service and beyond. My meager supply of electrical wire nuts was also replenished. Such simple supplies make a HUGE difference in job quality. Typical Peruvian wire connection (220V mind you) is just twist, maybe cover with masking or scotch tape, and pray.

I had to wait, rather impatiently, for the sun to clear the building next door. But when it did, the little 10 watt wonder came alive with 19 volts of sweet DC current and the pump came on line as advertised. The hardware store was closed, so I couldn’t do a lift test, but the volume and pressure seem more than adequate. The tentative plan is provide good water from wells in the Las Palmas and Nuevo Vista Alegre annexes to homes that are 100-150 meters away. Right now, the wells are open, unprotected and filthy, with cows wandering right up to the edges (and licking the dip bucket). 5 gallon buckets are filled and hand carried back to the houses. First, we’ll build a protective wall around the wells, clean out the trash, sanitize with chlorine and make a protective cover. Then the panel and pump will push the water home to a covered concrete (or brick) holding tank. And finally, a ceramic water filter will provide potable water. This will also increase water use for bathing and washing. How often would YOU shower or wash clothes, if you had to hand carry every gallon?

Anyway, the solar panel is the perfect solution, given the lack of access to power near the wells and the sunny weather here. For you fans of solar, my site has an average solar insolation of 6.4 Kwh per day. That’s about the same as the Mojave desert – best in the US. A windmill pump was another option, but seemed like lots more work and maintenance. The panel and pump are small enough to carry inside every night to avoid security issues, though we may figure out some means of securing them in place. Preliminary tests at the house show that the solar pump will provide about 200-300 gallons of water a day, which will dramatically improve water access and grooming /cleaning habits. Still need to do more lift tests and battery tests to see exactly how much volume we’ll get, etc. But that is the mad research scientist stuff that is really fun for me. Peace Corps claims this is “the hardest job you’ll ever love”, but so far, it’s been more love (and FUN) than hard.

Another Easter present from Joy Massa, former Esalen cook, turned holistic healer – a PVC pipe cutter and 10” Blue Diamond ceramic drill bit. Most PVCs get candy, chips and Cliff bars from home. My tastes are a little more exotic. When I demonstrated the cutter at the hardware store, you’d have thought I’d just come in with a space ship. Peruvians cut PVC with saws or knives – either way leaves rough and uneven edges. The cutter slices clean as a factory cut and in about 1/10 the time. The drill bit cuts through adobe or brick like butter, in part due to the poor quality of both here.  Thanks, Joy. And to all of you who have sent me cool ideas and kind words of encouragement and support. I’m just the tip of a very large spear.

They say this is a 24/7 kinda job. But, a bunch of us PCVs went river rafting this week. (One of the PC missions is “Cultural exchange”, right?) Lunahuana is just 45 minutes up the windy road along the Canete River. It is a popular Peruvian tourist destination. The town offers a beautiful old cathedral, spectacular suspension bridge, haunted house, the “Inkahuasi” ruins and, of course – river rafting. Mostly Class II rapids, with one Class III. The rafting is enjoyable, but nothing close to the Gauley or Colorado in the US, with their many Class IV & V. Nor, were the views as spectacular. Still, everyone got wet and it’s always a treat to be with my fellow PCVs.

A little mouse found its way into my room. It’s cute, but annoying at night. I did make a polite request for Mousie to leave peacefully. This request was declined, so I set off to acquire means of entrapment. Much as I would love to use a “live trap”, no such option was found in the market. Next best was the classic snap-trap option, which was purchased for US$0.55. This was an all metal trap, very cleverly produced from a single piece of metal, with the appropriate spring and wire.

Enjoyed my first moto-taxi ride with a female driver in Canete. The “big city” most be more progressive than in my little town. I’ve never seen ANY women driving there. Even on bicycles. Speaking of bikes – I still love mine.

Yet another “CARE” package from sister Robin contained concrete “blue” screws and enough razor blades to last beyond my service term here. The only blades I’ve found are disposable – understandable, since most Peruvian men (and women) have very little body hair and shave infrequently. My grooming habit of shower AND shave every day is viewed with incredulity, even some of my fellow PCVs, who don’t enjoy the same 24/7 access to water that I do.

I’m definitely feeling the State-side love this week.

Another failed attempt to beat my time on the bicycle speed run from La Quebrada back to San Luis – missed it by 8 seconds. Will I ever recapture the speed (and Glory) of yesterday?