Radio Havana Cuba's Science, Technology and Environment Program:
BREAKTHROUGHFor broadcast Sunday, October 15, 2000
Written and narrated by Arnaldo "Arnie" Coro, RHC's Science Editor
Hello amigos, welcome to another edition of Breakthrough, Radio Havana Cuba's Science, Technology and the Enviroment update ... I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro, this station's science editor, and today I will tell you about how Cuban engineers are installing the nation's most modern water supply system. The new aqueduct, at a cost of some 14 million Cuban pesos and two million US dollars, is now almost completed. It will provide high-quality fresh water to the new tourist resort of Cayo Santa Maria, where several new hotels are under construction.
The Cayo Santa Maria resort is located several miles away from the Cuban coastline, so it was necessary to build a causeway to reach it. The causeway was made wide enough so that both water and electrical supply trenches could be carried alongside the road. Following the experiences at Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo, to the East of Cayo Santa Maria, the new aqueduct uses plastic high pressure pipes, in order to avoid the severe corrosion problems that would be encountered if regular steel high pressure tubing was used. What makes the Cayo Santa Maria aqueduct unique is that this is the first time in Cuba that high density polyethylene, or HDP, pipes will be used. The HDP large diameter pipes are made here in Cuba, at a plant installed in Ciego de Avila province that specializes in the production of special plastic fittings for water supply systems. The HDP pipes require the use of a very specialized welding machine that provides a very strong, high-pressure-resistant weld.
The Special Engineering Unit number 25 from Villa Clara province, which is doing the installation of the new water supply system, has trained its technicians in the new technology, which is radically different from their previous experience with PVC high-pressure tubing. High Density Polyethylene pipe welding is much more difficult, but according to a report shown by Cuban Prime Time TV News, this type of tubing is expected to last longer and is more resistant to possible ram surges, typical of very long pipe runs....
Cuba's fast-growing tourist industry is not only providing the nation with foreign currency, but is also generating a lot of new construction and facilitating the introduction of new technologies that otherwise would have taken much longer to be put in use.
And this was Breakthrough for today... How Cuban engineers are using for the first time High Density Polyethylene pipes for the first time to provide a permanent, high-quality water supply to the new Cayo Santa Maria tourist resort. From Havana, I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro, RHC's science editor now inviting you to join me next week at the same time and short wave frequency for another edition of Breakthrough.
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"Breakthrough"
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