Stand-alone water purification system powered by solar photovoltaic panels in Haiti

Nowadays, almost 900 million people have no access to clean drinking water [1]. This problem plagues mostly the third world countries, and Haiti is one of them. The lack of access to safe drinking water in the third world countries is one of the biggest problems facing these populations. 32 million people are without water access in Latin America and Caribbean [2]. 3.3 million people are situated in Haiti [3]. The most serious consequence of the failure of providing clean water is widespread water-related disease and death.;This paper presents the design of the application of river and underground water purification system using green technology, powered by solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, as well as the design of water pumping systems powered also by solar power using PV panels. Basically, all the third world countries which have drinking water crisis also have electricity problems, and Haiti is one of them. 12.5% of Haiti population has access to electricity "officially" [4]. Thus, purifying water using the solar energy that is widely available in Haiti, is the best way to go to provide the population with potable water. This thesis presents a complete study including health effects of unsafe drinking water, and environmental effects of powering the purification system by using conventional power plant as opposed to green source of energy, design of the systems including pumping systems and the PV that power the purification machine and the pumps, financial study for the whole project, and market analysis for Haiti.