Start Date: 2013-03-01

Completion Date: 2013-10-31

Technology Used:

Approach: This program is a comprehensive, community-effort to engage families to make improvements to their health and well-being by improving the water situation in their community. People of Nueva America will elect six villagers to serve on a water committee. Members will be trained in: Structure, Role, Responsibilities, and Organization of the Water Committee; Financial Management; Mobilizing the Village; Water Quality; Hygiene; and Technical Operation and Management of the Water System. Water committee members will travel to the city of Cochabamba to participate in technical training from Plastiforte, the manufacturer of the Hydroneaumatic system, the water technology used in this project. This process will ensure that all knowledge about the water system remains within the local village. The water committee will ultimately promote community lead, ownership and transparency.

During the course of the project members of committee will also learn how to administer their system and teach healthy habits to their own community. Throughout this process community members will recognize themselves as capable of improving their situation without reliance on outside assistance. In doing so, knowledge will be maintained in the village so that the water project can be sustainable.

The project includes interactive, fun workshops and activities related to water, hygiene and sanitation offered to both children in the community and the community at large. The education program will focus on hygienic habits involving hand-washing, food, cooking utensils, water, and sanitation. Participants, for example, will not simply be asked to memorize steps in hand washing or methods to eliminate excreta. Instead this project seeks to work with the community to develop activities that encourage people to think about why hand washing is important or how and why contamination can spread throughout a community and the consequences it has on one’s health. Participants will develop strategies and methods to care for their own well being, the environment and the community at large.

Technology: The water technology used includes a hydropneumatic tower. The hydropneumatic tower essentially replaces expensive elevated tanks that are traditionally used in water systems with perforated wells. The Hydropneumatic Tower will connect to a water distribution system that distributes the water to 26 households, 2 public points and the village school. Each family will be responsible for assisting in the manual labor necessary to install the water system and financially contribute to the cost of materials necessary for their own domestic connection.

The technology is similar to an elevated water storage tank, but much smaller in size and typical in demand. The tower operates essentially by keeping a column air in the HDPE pipe which is 6 meters tall. The pressure vessel contains water with a pressurized air space to provide the pressure for the system. With water demand, water flows from the vessel, increasing the air space as well as decreasing air pressure. This lower pressure signals the pump to start. The pump meets the demand with the excess volume backing up in the pressure vessel. This decreases the air space and increases the pressure once again. When the upper level is reached, the pump shuts off. These systems are ideal for a rural water system that has a limited service area.

Some advantages of the Hydropneumatic Tower include: reduced cost (no need to construct expensive elevated tanks), easy installation, automatic operation, optimization of the electrical power consumption in the operation of the pump, and a 20-year guarantee.

The distribution system will use HDPE Pipes. HDPE pipe is recognized in the industry for its zero leak rate, high performance, and long life expectancy. In addition, HDPE is more flexible, nontoxic and has greater resistance to impact. Because the piping comes in long roles of 50m to 100m, the installation process is faster and easier. It also makes it easier to transport to the village.

Phases:

This project is implemented in only one phase, with the following components:
- Community Organization
- Formation of local water committee
- Training
o Community water & higiene workshops
o Water committee workshops
o Construction & implementation

Community Organization:

The community of Nueva America is motivated and organized. They have a directory committee consisting of a community President (referred to as the “OTB”), Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Communication Officer. The directory committee has been working with the municipality to secure a water project for their community.

Each family owns their own piece of the land, although many extended families live on the same piece of property. The water well sits on public area that is owned by the local municipality. The municipality is responsible for elaborating water and sanitation projects.

The community is in full agreement of financially contributing to the installation of each domestic water connection. They also agreed to attend workshops and participate in activities.

Government Interaction:

This project utilizes a water well perforated by Proasu Jica, a program operating under the state government of Santa Cruz. The municipality of Santa Rosa will partner with Etta Projects to implement the water project. Members from the Department of Water & Sanitation will attend the training sessions in Cochabamba and will also contribute funding towards the hydropneumatic tower and the distribution system.

Ancillary activities:

All water committee members will learn skills in plumbing as well as administrative skills.

Other Issues:

Currently in Bolivia local municipalities are responsible for the provision of water and sanitation. Unfortunately they often do not have the necessary resources to reach many of the rural villages to implement this type of project. We’ve learned that when different sectors join forces communities like Nueva America can access clean, safe drinking water.