Water is life

A good friend once told me, “Water is life,” and she’s absolutely right.

On our first work trip to the community, we quickly learned just how difficult the water situation was. Residents had access to water only one day per week, with the other six days completely dry. From mid-March to mid-May, during the hottest months, the water source often dried up entirely, leaving residents either purchasing water from a delivery service, going to the river to collect water or receiving occasional water from the fire department. Women often had to wash clothes in the river, and there is a pig farm upstream. 

To help solve this, in 2022, we purchased land in the community. In 2023, we partnered with Pozos para Todos, Primero Agua – Water First, and many generous individuals to have a well drilled. By October, Primero Agua – Water First had installed a solar pump and provided solar panels in the well. Water testing showed it was largely safe by U.S. standards, with the exception of E. coli, likely from nearby cattle. This was incredible news, given the well’s close proximity to the landfill (less than 800 feet away). By December, we completed the system with water tanks, solar power, and a purifier to eliminate the E. coli.

Update:

The community stretches for one mile, with the well located at one end. During the summer months, residents on the opposite end, closer to the river, often rely on it for water. Our goal is to extend the water lines to serve the entire community. To achieve this, we will expand the existing system by adding solar panels, controllers, water pumps, and a storage tank, then install PVC piping throughout the area. This project is truly a community effort.