April, 2006
By: Michael Simpson
For fun and adventure, I took a Water For People country tour in April of this year. It was truly an awe inspiring and eye opening trip. The trip included two other Midwesterners, Jim Williams, President of Peerless-Midwest and the Chair of the Indiana Section's Water For People Committee and Ed Nugent, President of Utility Supply and a committee member of the Indiana Section's MAC committee. We all went to see how our monies were being applied and to see the effects of the Water For People model.
We arrived in Cochabamba, Bolivia on Tuesday morning, April 18 (left O'Hare Monday afternoon) and hit the ground running. We went to the Water For People field office and met with the country coordinator Abraham Aruquipa, the staff members of the WFP field office, staff members from WFP Denver, local volunteers and AWWA members from other sections. Abraham gave us an overview of what is happening in Bolivia regarding WFP and how the projects that have been completed over the last fourteen years are fairing. Abraham described how the local office worked and managed the finances provided by WFP. It was very enlightening to hear it explained and see how the operation works up close and personal.
On Wednesday, we ventured out into the field and visited two villages. The first was the Village of Koari Medio. That community has both a water system and bathrooms. The water system was installed in 2000. The project installed 30 household tap stands. They used approximately 3,000-meters of PVC piping for distribution and constructed two break-pressure tanks to distribute water from the spring to the community. As a part of the project health education sessions were facilitated via the NGO. The program benefited 30 families, 150 people. Project Cost: $6,548.00.
In 2003, Koari Medio applied for and received a grant from WFP to construct bathrooms. Previously, there were no latrines in Koari Medio. Men, women and children used open fields as a toilet. In addition, people used cold water from the springs to bathe themselves and their children. Sanitation and water-washed (scabies) diseases run rampant in Koari Medio. The project constructed bathrooms and shower facilities. The bathroom is a simple brick structure. One half of the bathroom structure will contain a pour-flush toilet and the other side a simple shower. The community had already made bricks for the structures in anticipation of funding. Tin roofs have been cut to fit the structures and an infiltration well was already installed behind each bathroom. Each family will contribute $20 to the cost of the project. WFP funding went towards internal waterproofing, shower fixtures, lime (for the latrine), doors, toilets, faucets, elbows and paint. Cost: $2,500.00.
In the afternoon we visited Cruz Pampa's water system. The water system was installed in 2003. This village is located in a remote area outside of Cochabamba at about 14,000 feet elevation. The following is an overview of the community's application:
The community of Cruz Pampa is located approximately 35 kms from the local municipal center of Tiraque. It has an economy based on the growing and selling of potatoes and chu–os (dehydrated potatoes). Animals are also an important economic activity of the community and each family owns between 10 and 30 head of sheep and ox for plowing and maybe a cow or two.
Cruz Pampa is a community of farmers and they are busy during the planting months of September and October and in the harvest in April and May. Women in the community are involved in the care and education of the children as well as general tasks around the house. They are also in charge of hauling water from the irrigation canals or the springs for household consumption and use.
The community does have access to electricity, but few families can afford a connection. It does not have a potable water system, bathrooms or latrines. Water contamination is very common in the canals and springs that it currently uses for its water supply. The homes are very simple, using rock and earth for the walls, straw for the roofs and dirt floors. The community members are very traditional in their lifestyles and most of the women and small children only speak their native language, Quechua.
There are three springs in the community with different flows. One spring is situated above the community with a low flow, one in the middle of the community with a large flow that is used for irrigation and the third spring is in the lower part of the community and is used for irrigation in the neighboring community. The community has tried to construct a tank with local municipality funding and has used water from two of the three springs. The community's attempt to build its own water system has failed however, because of design and construction errors.
This proposal design will address the unsafe water issue by using two of the three springs for a water supply. Two of the springs will be protected by cements caps and channeled to the existing water storage tank that was built by the community. A few minor repairs will be performed on the tank to ensure it is sealed properly. A gravity-flow distribution system will be constructed to bring water to 26 homes in the village. Health and hygiene education will complement this water program and will be facilitated through the partner organization (NGO). Project benefits 180 people. Cost: $7,760.
When we met with the villagers you could see the pride they took in the water system. We began our meeting at the village's water tank. We then proceeded down to the community house for food, drink and conversation. As a part of the model, Water For People requires the village to set up a water committee to operate and maintain the system. During our visit we met with the President of the Water Board and he gave us a tour of the village and his home. He noted how the children now have an opportunity to attend school (two hour walk one way) and the wives now have more time to dedicate to the family needs and have the opportunity to work and earn more income for the family.
On Thursday, we visited the Q'ochio water system. It was truly a special day because the water system had only been completed a few months before our arrival and today was the official inauguration of the system.
Here is a little background on the community. There are two springs in the Q'ochio community that can be used through a gravity-fed system. Because of the distance between the spring and the houses, families prefer to consume water from the ravines that has a high content of fecal coli form. In the communities that have safe water from household taps, families wash their hands and the kitchen utensils more frequently. In Q'ochio there is no safe water, and community members try to save water to prepare food and neglect good hygiene practices.
In the past, the women and children (girls mostly) spent six hours per day carrying water. Today, the women now have time to concentrate on their families and work to help increase their family's income. The children now have the time and opportunity to receive and education.
The new water system includes two collection tanks for two springs, adduction line with PVC pipe (1,246 meters); a 3-cubic-meter water storage tank; two break pressure tanks; two ravine crossings (6 meters each); distribution line (747 meters); household connections and 15 tap stands with check valves tanks. This benefits 69 people, or 15 households. Project cost: $4,537.
The inauguration was quite the event. There was truly cause for celebration and the villagers really know how to throw a party. There was food, drink and of course dancing. It was an exciting experience.
On Friday, we traveled back to Chicago. This trip was truly an eye opening experience and one that I won't soon forget. You can be proud that your monies are being spent effectively and efficiently. The people you are benefiting are most grateful for your support. The best part of the program is that we are giving them a "hand up" not a "hand out". With any amount of luck I'll be presenting this as a program at the annual conference in Springfield.