Project Overview
After years of carrying water back to their homes from shallow wells around the community, the people of La Concepcion partnered with Global Brigades and their local government to build a community water system. This system provides clean water to 540 beneficiaries.
La Concepcion, Honduras
Prior to Global Brigades’ arrival in La Concepcion, addressing the community’s water issues was a priority. With no central community water system, the people in La Concepción used one of the six shallow wells within the community, drawing water out with hand pumps. Not all six wells were public, and people sometimes paid up to 60 Lempiras just to take water from the well. A large storage tank had been built at an elevation above the community with the idea of connecting it to a pump-powered water system for the community, but the project was never completed and the tank had been sitting empty ever since.
Without a central storage tank used for water distribution, there was no way for the people of La Concepción to centrally and consistently treat their water. In an effort to address this problem, Rotary International donated household Bio-Sand Filters to every home throughout the community to allow families to purify their drinking water before consumption. However, community leaders still stated that constructing a water system that brings water to the homes and uses an improved water source is one of the highest needs within the community.
La Concepción was a organized community with a functioning community bank, educational programs, and a Basic Sanitation Committee among other public services. The community had a Water Council prior to Global Brigades’ arrival; however, they were not properly trained due to the lack of a community-wide water system. There was also no monthly water fee established to assist with maintenance and administration of existing water infrastructure.
Water System Solution
Water Brigaders from 12 different universities worked in La Concepción from May 2012 to June 2012. During that time, these volunteers worked with community members to:
• Install an electric pump in a well that provides 26 GPM
• Repair and paint a 10,000 gallon storage tank with chlorinator
• Dig approximately 3,000 meters of trench and lay pipeline
• Connect 144 houses, 2 schools, 1 health center and 2 churches to the system
• Provide educational seminars to children in the community on water and health related topics
To ensure the sustainability of the project, a new seven member Water Council was established and trained by Water Brigades in addition to a Basic Sanitation Committee also trained by Water Brigades. Thanks to the hardwork and dedication of students and community members, Global Brigades completed the system in less than two months. Such a quick effort would not have been possible without the generous support of the municipal government in San Matías and PDA San Matías (a division of World Vision). The Global Brigades’ Water Team would like to thank all of those who contributed to the project and brought an adequate supply of potable water to each home in La Concepción.
Water Project Stages
All stages of this water project have been completed.