ABSTRACT: This paper presents the commissioning and start-up phases of a project to allow the indigenous community of Santa Rosa, Ecuador gain access to fresh water, with pumped storage provided by a photovoltaic (PV) system. The project used the initial design prepared by a non-profit organization as the basis for construction as well as materials from an industry funded grant. The work involved two faculty and four students from the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) Student Chapters to complete the installation of a clean water system. This included PV panels, electrical distribution and overcurrent protection, piping connections to a direct current submersible pump, water storage tanks, and distribution piping/connections to each village household. Although the initial design was a vital part of the project, much of the details were resolved in the field with a design-build approach.
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