AEROSTAR Works to Help Haitians in Need
AEROSTAR’s Vice President of Engineering, Jim Smith, two fellow Jacksonville Rotarians, and another philanthropic organization traveled to Haiti last October to assist the Canaan Orphanage in developing a reliable source of usable and potable water. Mr. Smith and the others evaluated two existing water supply wells, performed aquifer pumping tests, and collected water samples to evaluate water quality. The two wells produced a good quantity of water, but the water was too salty for consumption. The hardness and salinity of the well water were also determined to be too hard on the plumbing fixtures.
The group is evaluating data and selecting alternatives now that the well testing is completed. Although it is possible a portion of the subsurface could be developed to produce a better quality of water, it is more likely that the water will have to be treated in order to be of use to the community. Assuming that there is no usable water, Mr. Smith’s next trip to Haiti may involve the installation of a water treatment system.
