Guatemala Water Projects

During our time in Guatemala we embarked on a number of water projects; water tanks, rainwater collection systems, point-of-use filters, grey-water systems, and a centralized purification system. The highly political nature of water resources in Guatemala compounded by unique cultural views among the rural poor resulted in success, failure, and a battle for power in local politics.

Water Tanks (Pilas)

With access to water intermittent, it is helpful to store water for daily use. In the community of Villa Hermosa, it is not unheard of to have no running water for weeks at a time. Additionally, the 2-mile trek through the jungle to the nearest river can present violent confrontations and robberies.

We built our first tank with Don Pascual, the local leader in charge of Villa Hermosa's water supply. He was skeptical of our ability to build the tank at first, but as the tank neared completion Don Pascual's confidence in both himself and us had noticeably increased. The entire family contributed in the construction process. Now, Pascual has a stable supply of water for cooking, drinking, bathing, and cleaning.

Rain Catchment Systems

Comming Soon...

Filters

Point-of-use slow sand filters are easily constructed and use biological processes to reduce harmful bacteria. They are used to produce potable water in both developing and developed countries. The water produced from a well-managed slow sand filter can be of exceptionally good quality with 90-99% bacterial reduction (National Drinking Water Clearinghouse).

As seen in the diagram to the right, the filter's effective purification component is a biological layer that is formed in the first 10–20 days of operation. As water passes through the gelatinous layer, particles of foreign matter are trapped and dissolved. Organic material is then adsorbed and metabolized by the bacteria, fungi and protozoa.

We built a number of point-of-use slow sand filters in Guatemala. Unfortunately, in all cases, the recipients were unable to successfully complete the first 10–20 days of operation. Daily use is required to successfully grow and maintain the biological layer. All subsequent tests completed through Guatemala's Ministry of Health confirmed incomplete biological layers and fecal coliform counts at the input equal to those at the output.

It is our belief that this failure is due to cultural views on the importance of drinking water. Due to a high prevalence of families receiving remittances, soft drinks are affordable among the rural poor. It is a common belief that soft drinks have high nutritional value due to the effects of sugar on the body directly after consumption. Because water does not offer a similar boost in energy, it is viewed as inferior. More expensive water filters that require less maintenance might be more appropriate for Guatemala.

Centralized Water Purification

Comming Soon...