Project Overview
Global Brigades built a new water system in 2017 in El Censo, a community very near by the volunteer lodging facility of the same name. This system now provides clean water to over 160 beneficiaries.
El Censo, Honduras
The community of El Censo is very near the volunteer lodging facility of the same name. When Global Brigades arrived in the community it had two water systems. One that came from a well that located in the center of the community however it’s groundwater is useful only for laundry and bathing. The second water supply was from a spring located some distance from the community. It was piped into a tank and then distributed to all but a few homes without any chlorination or other treatment. It was drinkable, but its flow rate of 0.42 gallons per minute was not nearly sufficient to meet the community’s water need. With increasingly dry summers, this source had been decreasing in flow rate consistently. Community members were forced instead to make up for this deficit by buying jugs of bottled water, a costly substitute (up to 4% of the household´s income in one case).
Water System Solution
In order to ensure that all community members have access to an adequate supply of clean water, Global Brigades built new water system in El Censo with support from World Vision and Three Valleys Sugar Company. With a growing community of over 160 residents requiring a minimum 25 gallons per person per day for basic health and hygiene, a well was drilled that produces more than a sufficient flow rate to meet the total community demand. Water is pumped 280 meters from the well to a new 5,000 gallon tank at an altitude that is over 30 meters above the highest home in the community allowing water to be distributed with sufficient pressure using gravity. In the interest of sustainability, the seven members of the Water Council have been trained on water treatment and system maintenance, administration, and operation. The community plumber has been trained on the same topics, so they can continue adequately managing the water system. The community has established a monthly water fee in order to pay the Water Council for water treatment, maintenance costs, and system sustainability.
Water Project Stages
All stages of this water project have been completed.