Kathonzweni Catholic Mission

Solar Pumping System

Location and Requirements

Kathonzweni is situated in Machakos, which without exaggeration can be considered to be one of the most arid part of Kenya. Rainfall here is everything without which crops and people cannot sustain themselves.
There is no pipeline or water distribution system therefore it’s all left to the rain which is not collected and stored in any form. When the Mission was opened years ago it was evident that rain alone could not sustain a continuous presence for the community and its development therefore a borehole was drilled.

Luckily water was found and a generator powered pump installed. There was plenty of water at last. However water was not needed by the Mission alone but also by the surrounding community.  Yet in order to satisfy everybody’s requirements it meant the pump had to run continuously with very high running costs, which the Mission could not sustain for long. Here was a dilemma. The Mission spent the money for the borehole and pumped whatever water could afford for them but could not provide continuously for the very community they were there to help in the first place. As if this was not enough the generator not only cost in diesel fuel, repairs and maintenance but transport of the same and logistics played a crucial role. Without mentioning that during the rainy season all the above considerations mean very little. After years of difficult compromises and decisions the Sisters considered the possibility of a solar pumping system even though they only heard about it. E-Solar supplied the following solar pumping system.

System Configuration

  • 04 H80 Helios Solar Modules
  • 01 Solaflux Solar submersible Pump
  • 01 Solar Controller

Clients Comments

Sisters of the Most Precious Blood 
P.O. Box 7
Kathonzweni

Dear Sir,

RE: APPRECIATION
We’d like to express our appreciation and gratitude for the work E-Solar has done for us. Since three years we have a solar pump, installed at 68 metres depth, which is giving us enough water, with no expense.
We are also supplied by a system of solar light, which satisfies our needs well. We have the sincere hope to continue well as now.
With much gratitude.
Yours faithfully,

Sr. Donatella Zoia
The Sister in Charge