Cuetzala, Mexico Water Project

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Cuetzala, Mexico Water Project

• Researching, Designing, Fundraising and
  Coordinating for a Small Community

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Presentation Outline

• Background Information
• Water Problems
• Decision Making and Design
• Funding and Coordinating
• Mexico Federal 3x1 Grant
• Whats Next

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Cuetzala, GRO, Mexico

• 150 people, 30 families
• State of Guerrero, Mex
• Primarily farming town
• Corn
• Livestock (cattle for milk)?
• Entire drinking supply
• comes from local
• springs, La Pila

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Past Projects

• Phase I Hygiene improvement project at the town
  school
• Hand washing station fed by rooftop rainwater
  harvesting system
• Composting (waterless) latrines installed
  adjacent to handwashing station

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Past Projects
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Water Problems

• Quantity
• During dry season all springs but one dry up
• Town rations water to 8 gal/person-day during
  April May
• Quality
• Spring open to public, accessible via stairs
• Incident of 10 sudden livestock deaths 3 years
  ago
• Past solutions
• Failed dam downstream of main spring

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Baseline Health Assessment

• Completed by a physician in Nov, 2006
• Children have moderate levels gastrointestinal
  illness
• Trained nurse locally available
• Improved water, sanitation, and hygiene believed
  to prevent illness
• Premise of project

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The Main Spring La Pila
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The Main Spring La Pila
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Failed Dam La Presa
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Failed Dam La Presa
La Presa Location
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Livestock Drinking Pond - Acalman
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Assessment Trip

• Two recharge tests of La Pila spring using pump,
  flow meter and pressure transducer
• Water Quality assessment of La Pila spring, other
  small springs and Acalman pond, sent to US for
  analysis
• Surveying of failed dam, Acalman, and proposed
  locations of new storage facility
• Updating composting toilets (past project)?

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Assessment Trip Water Analysis

• La Pila very clean, good drinking water
• Acalman high levels of metals and very high
  levels
• of arsenic

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Recharge Test
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Town Discussions and Decisions

• With Water Committee
• Desired solution a large storage tank for daily
  uses
• Closing of La Pila access to protect from
  contamination
• Check dams upstream of Dam and lining on pervious
  areas with clay mixture for animal use
• Town Hall Meeting
• Town approval of project scope, contributions,
  and responsibilities both of town and EWB
• Concerns of multiple projects due to complicated
  approval process by Federal Government. Work
  solely on La Pila tank solution first

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Town Hall Meeting
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Solutions - Quality of Life

• Improve QOL and cleanliness through
  improved/limited access
• Control access to La Pila through pump/tank
  system
• Curb water
• contamination by
• closing off access
• Multiple access
• points for
• ease-of-use

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Solutions - Quality of Life
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Solutions - Quality of Life
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Solutions - Storage

• Long term storage facility for livestock/non-potab
  le use during dry season
• Large storage tank to provide water during dry
  season (approximately 2 month supply)?
• Low efficiency, no-energy RAM pump lift station
  for conveyance due to excess of water/lack of
  filling time constraint

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Solutions - Storage
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RAM Pump

• No energy required
• Low efficiency (1/7)?
• Reliable and low maintenance

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Project Funding

• Mexican Federal Government 3x1 Grant
• Funds provided matched three times
• Federal
• State
• County
• Approximately project cost 40,000 (US)?
• Local Share (10K) provided by both local NGO
  representing town and EWB
• Labor, supplies, in-kind donations counted
• EWB portion raised through Rotary and EWB Chapter
  funds

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Project Funding

• Mexican Federal Government 3x1 Grant
• Full submittal approved at each level
• Narrative
• Budget
• Plan sheets/figures
• Schedule
• Translated to Spanish
• Funds apply only to calendar year approved
• Hoping for approval within a month
• Groundbreaking around new year

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Whats Next

• 3x1 Funding approval
• EWB-TAC approval mid October
• Finalize exact project details
• Pumps, solar panels, total length of pipe
• Prepare to purchase all supplies by Dec. 31
• Secure supplies for construction onsite
• Construction to begin early January
• Completion in late Jan. or early Feb.

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Thank you!

• Thank you for listening!
• For more information hollander.danny_at_gmail.com
• Any questions?