Internships

Lydia Watt ’18

The Peru team of Princeton University’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders works in the La Libertad region of northern Peru. The team’s first program began in 2005, in the community of Huamanzaña, where they worked on the design and construction of latrines, solar lighting systems, cookstoves, and a water system, in order to address the most pressing needs of this community. From 2010 to 2015, the team built two gravity-fed water pipelines within the upper and lower parts of La Pitajaya. The team established its most recent partnership this past year with the community of Pusunchás, which is comprised of 97 families who lack access to clean drinking water. The team traveled to Pusunchás this summer and conducted a thorough technical assessment, including an analysis of flow rate measurements, water quality testing from several natural springs, and a topographic study of various pipeline routes. The legal aspect of the assessment involved obtaining the permission of landowners to put a pipeline through their property and the Peruvian government and source owner to use the preferred water source. Our financial study included obtaining prices for materials from local hardware stores and discussing labor costs with a trusted mason.