Lightning is responsible for 24,000 deaths worldwide every year. In Nepal, after the 2015 earthquake, lightning accounted for the highest number of deaths due to disaster in the last eight years, with 840 fatalities. In fact, Nepal tops the list of countries with the most lightning fatalities per unit area.
Lightening started affecting Unica Foundation’s water project, especially where large solar panels are installed to lift the water from the downhill to uphill. Kalika village in Kaski witnessed such frequent hits of lightening so the water supply got inturrupted.
From the field study conducted by Grundfos in Kalika, it came out that the inbuilt basic protection system of the pump is not sufficient. Therefore it is decided to install a robust protection system in Kalika as well as in Ramkot. Based upon the proneness of lightning, semi protection system will be erected in Kalika pump station 1 and Ramkot pump station 2. Likewise, the full protection system will be erected in Kalika pump station 2 and Ramkot pump station 1 since they were defined as higher lightening prone locations.
This investment is to protect the expensive pump systems to insure uninterrupted drinking water supply for the villagers from the WaSH projects executed by Unica Foundation.
Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS), Kaski, the implementing partner, has reached an agreement with the local agent of Grundfos to undertake this task.
Information
Beneficiaries:
657 households, 3,657 people
Location:
Pokhara Metropolitan City-28 & Rupa Rural Municipality -7, Kaski
Start date: End date:
01-04-2020 31-05-2020
Status:
Completed
Techniques
Drinking water systems
Solar power
Partners & sponsors
Nepal Red cross Society (NRCS), Kaski (partner)
Suryodaya Urja (builder)
Rupa Rural Municipality
Pokhara Metropolitan City
Unica Foundation
