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One of East Africa’s greatest challenges today is the lack of clean water and this has and continues to have a devastating effect on the economic growth. For disadvantaged people who need to spend a significant amount of time and energy each day fetching water which may not necessarily be safe to drink, the opportunity cost is substantial.
Time that could have been more profitably spent is instead wasted on an activity that may lead to survival but does not lead to economic empowerment. Kenya based Davis & Shirtliff, as the leading supplier of water and energy solutions in the region, has the aim of improving the quality of life of its partners through taking care of their water and energy needs so that they can achieve more in their daily lives. Together with some of the world’s most renowned players in the water and solar industries they can offer cost efficient, long-lasting and environment-friendly solutions within water pumping, solar solutions and water treatment and power generation.
Having been in the business for nearly 70 years, Davis & Shirtliff is well known as a professional supplier of borehole pumps and other borehole equipment and accessories. It is a common misconception that the company drills boreholes, instead focusing on supply, installation and support of quality equipment. The company offers a wide range of high quality stainless steel borehole pumps from premium suppliers Grundfos and Pedrollo as well as the value option of the company’s own quality brand Dayliff, all of them being available in a huge range from stock to ensure that exactly the right pump is selected. For installation and maintenance of borehole installations, Davis & Shirtliff has invested in a fleet of eight specially converted borehole service trucks and a highly experienced crew who efficiently installs the equipment.
Apart from borehole pumps, Davis & Shirtliff also sells a wide range of other surface and booster pumps. Its own locally produced Dayliff brand is increasingly popular with the market and covers a wide range of applications in water boosting and water transfer in the domestic, industrial and agricultural sectors. The complete range includes high quality pumps from world renowned manufacturers Grundfos, Pedrollo and Davey, all of which are offered from stock and throughout the company’s 50 branches in the region.
Most pumps are designed for mains power drive, though with the ever decreasing cost of solar photovoltaic modules and recent technological advances, solar installations are becoming increasingly popular or remote sites or indeed any site where energy efficiency is the primary consideration. Davis & Shirtliff have been in the forefront of this technology since its introduction over thirty years ago.
Solar systems by their very nature of having virtually no moving parts, are more reliable, require no maintenance and are a more cost effective long term investment due to their zero running costs. Davis & Shirtliff works closely with two of the world’s leading manufacturers of solar water pumps and has the highest levels of expertise in designing, installing and servicing solar water installations of all sizes.
Treatment of contaminated water is another area to which Davis & Shirtliff pays increasing attention. Affordable access to clean water is paramount in East Africa and the company offers a wide range of equipment for treatment of the majority of prevailing water conditions. Technologies offered include filtration, disinfection and Reverse Osmosis solutions as well as Ultra Filtration technology which has recently been introduced in collaboration with partner DOW, world leading water treatment experts. This technology is becoming an efficient and affordable alternative to many traditional water treatment solutions, helping to make water safer and more accessible to all.
In addition to solar pumping, Davis & Shirtliff has many years of experience in solar water heating systems and in addition to products sourced from international manufacturers it produces its own quality Dayliff brand of solar heating collectors with a 5 years warranty. Having obtained certifications for four of its solar engineers according to new requirements from the Energy Regulatory Commission, Davis & Shirtliff is now one of the industry’s first organisations officially qualified to carry out all solar installations.
Davis & Shirtliff is also a major multinational player in the East African market for power products, offering inverter/battery backup solutions and generators from small portable units to large stationary prime power units sourced from world renowned manufacturers and assembled locally. In addition, the company’s own range of Dayliff DG generators offer excellent quality and unbeatable value for money for domestic applications.
With branches and subsidiaries in 8 countries offering the region’s biggest product range, full installation and maintenance support and a team of highly trained application engineers Davis & Shirtliff is confidently leading the way in the expansion of water and energy solutions, which will bring reliable, clean and economical water supply to East Africans, improving their lives accordingly. Through this expertise the company feels it is making a significant contribution to the objectives of World Water Day
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2016’s first D&S branch opening took place in Nanyuki, the latest branch to join the Eastern cluster under executive Margaret Kuchio. The colourful event was extremely well attended with 55 guests invited but over 70 attending the day.
Branch manager Grace Riitho started by welcoming guests after which deputy CEO David Gatende and Margaret spoke. The guests of honour were Laikipia county water Minister Hon. John Bosco Akaale and Mr. Kuldip of Modsan Trading both of who gave short speeches recommending the company before cutting the ribbon and officially declaring the branch open. The ongoing exercise of opening branches across the region is part of a wider strategy to improve service levels to stakeholders and participate more effectively in local markets.
Find below a gallery of pictures taken during the event.
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Welcome to part-1 of a 4-part series concerning the drilling and equipping of boreholes. We shall cover the entire process from having the site survey to commissioning of the borehole.
A borehole is a narrow shaft bored into the Earth’s crust in order to locate gas, water, oil or for other purposes. Here, we shall limit our scope to water.
Did you know that the deepest borehole on Earth is the Kola Superdeep Borehole in Russia?
Typical borehole depths in Kenya vary according to area and hydrogeology. E.g. in Nairobi, Karen, typical borehole depth is 400m and in Embakasi, 250m.
Before embarking on drilling a borehole, it’s important to note the items that you may require. In Kenya, you will require 3-documents
- Hydrogeological Survey.
- NEMA (National Environment Management Authority) permit.
- WRMA (Water Resources Management Authority) drilling permit.
The contractor will be required to have been registered fully with National Construction Authority (NCA).
The Hydrological survey report is obtained from a registered hydrologist.
With this information, you can approach a Drilling Contractor to do the actual drilling for you.
Once the borehole has been drilled, the driller will issue a Borehole Completion Record (BCR) from WRMA that contains important information concerning that borehole. This information can then be shared with us so that we can do a proposal for the most suitable equipment.
The Borehole Completion Record has information such as
- Borehole depth.
- Tested yield.
- Borehole profile.
- Static Water Level, SWL.
- Pumping Water Level, PWL.
Other information that the borehole owner will need to avail is:-
- Distance to power house from wellhead, d1.
- Distance from power house to water delivery point d2.
- Horizontal distance to water delivery point, d3.
- Elevation from well head to water delivery point.
- Existing pipe material, and diameter.
The above information will help us get the appropriate cable length and pipe length. The pipe length and diameter are important for getting the frictional head loss which are an important component of the Total Dynamic Head, required for the specification of suitable equipment.
With this information, we’re ready to do a borehole equipping proposal for you.
In our part two, we shall cover the borehole equipping process and what you need to know. Kindly contact us if you need referrals about a hydrogeologist or a drilling contractor by clicking here.
Credits – Peter Munyoki, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Ugandan go to the polls on Thursday 18th February. Our Uganda branches will remain closed on that day and will reopen on 19th February. However, incase you need urgent attention, please reach us through the contact information here
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The AFWA 2016 Congress took place on the 22nd - 25th of February at the KICC in Nairobi, Kenya. The African Water Association (AfWA) is a self-governing non-profit organization which aims to cover all facets of the water cycle.
The group's mission is to serve as a continental network for water professionals and to advancing standards and best practices in sustainable water and sanitation management.
The African Water Association (AfWA), formerly known as Union of African Water Suppliers (former UAWS) is a professional association of organizations, utilities and operators working in the water, sanitation and environment related sector in Africa. Since its creation in February 1980, its main objective has been to develop the professional capacities of its members in order to achieve its vision regarding the access to drinking water for all Africans.
The AFWA has more than 100 member utilities in over 40 countries in Africa, and its head office is located in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
Davis & Shirtliff was among be among the exhibitors at the conference. Below is a gallery of some photographs taken during the event. Click on a thumbnail to view a bigger size of the photo.
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On the eve of its 70th anniversary, leading water and energy solutions providers Davis & Shirtliff recently officially opened its newly constructed Coastal headquarters in Mombasa.
The opening was carried out by CEO Alec Davis’s wife Christine and was attended by over 150 customers and business partners who were impressed with the facilities available. The state of the art premises is a striking, modern looking four-storey building situated on Jomo Kenyatta Avenue and is a short distance from the company’s previous office building. Custom designed for the firm’s requirements, the new premises are substantially larger and include a showroom, offices and warehousing as well as workshops and training facilities which will support operations in the Coastal region.
Of note is the fact that the building is entirely self-sufficient and is equipped to provide its own power and water through a solar/diesel hybrid system and a borehole with treatment plant. Air conditioned throughout the working areas, the layout has been designed to provide better efficiency and ergonomics to both customers, who will benefit from a one stop shop showroom area, and staff who will enjoy upgraded working, training and canteen areas. Also cutting edge is the use of IT solutions in the building which is wireless throughout and uses digital voice software via laptops to avoid the need for physical telephones, the total absence of which is striking. The new facility signals the company’s intention of offering and developing the latest technologies to provide smart solutions for the water and energy requirements of its customers throughout the region.
Davis & Shirtliff Coast has been established for over 16 years having taken over the business of Butech Ltd in 2000 and is now the acknowledged industry leader in the region. Under the energetic leadership of GM Mohamed Farook, the business operates through a network of branches in Malindi, Diani, Nyali, Lamu and Voi and the team of over 50 staff are looking forward to offering higher levels of product and service support and providing higher service levels to its customers. Davis & Shirtliff Coast is part of the Nairobi based Davis & Shirtliff Group which is the leading regional supplier of water pumps, water treatment, solar and swimming pool equipment and generators and operates through a network of over 40 branches in Kenya and six other countries in the region
You can click on the thumbnails below to view a bigger resolution of the photo
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Dundori Road, Industrial Area
Nairobi
P.O Box P.O Box 41762 - 00100
Kenya
