Global Engineering Challenge (GEC) 2021

Water Management Strategies in Lobitos & Piedritas

  • Three-Member Team, Affiliated with The University of Sheffield
  • 31 Januray 2022 - 4 February 2022
  • Team Leader

In this collaborative, cross-functional project, I worked with a team of engineers from diverse departments and geographical locations to tackle the challenging situation in Lobitos and Piedritas, where safe and healthy water supply is only available for 2 to 3 hours for 3 days of the week. This project outlined a water management strategy to increase the safe and healthy water stupply to 2 to 3 hours for 5 days of the week within an year.

I assumed an active, team-leader role in the team, contributing to task distribution, idea generation and development, report writing, and presentation delivery to a panel of experts and competing teams. Comprehensive research and discussion were undertaken to understand the current limitations leading to lower and unhealthy water supply, and potential improvement strategies.

Global Engineering Challenge at University of Sheffield

Tasks Performed:

  1. Conducted a STEEPLE analysis to understand the social, technological, environmental, economic, political, legal, and ethical aspects of the problem.
  2. Developed and evaluated multiple designs to address the water supply issue.
  3. Performed engineering calculations to assess the efficiency and cost savings of the chosen design.
  4. Conducted a risk analysis to identify potential threats and opportunities related to the project.

 

Skills Gained and Developed:

  1. Problem-solving: Identified and addressed a real-world problem, improving water supply in Lobitos and Piedritas.
  2. Analytical skills: Conducted a STEEPLE analysis and risk analysis.
  3. Engineering skills: Performed engineering calculations to assess the efficiency of the proposed solution.
  4. Teamwork: Collaborated effectively in a team, contributing to daily team reviews and shared decision-making.

 

Results of the Project:

  1. The chosen design met all the requirements of the SMART question, potentially increasing the water supply from 3 days to more than 5 days.
  2. The design was found to be 75% more efficient than traditional methods, reducing water usage by approximately 150% on average.
  3. Despite the initial high costs, the design was projected to reduce costs over time in the form of lower bills and reduced water wastage.
  4. The design was expected to last a long time and improve with technological advancements, further minimizing water wastage and improving the water supply.

Deliverables for this project included a comprehensive report and a group presentation to several academics including members from the relevant industries. Below is the essential report produced: