Water Brigades in Honduras would like to congratulate the La Concepcion Water Council for successfully completing their official training this week! After four interactive sessions conducted by Joel, Water Brigades Technician, each of the seven council members were presented certificates of completion. Water Brigades worked on La Concepcion’s system from May to June 2012, during which the Water Council received informal training on all parts of the system, chlorination, etc. With the in-depth training completed, the council is fully equipped to maintain their new water system for years to come!
WATER BRIGADES PROJECT SUMMARY: LA CONCEPCIÓN
The new community-wide water system in La Concepción was turned on for the first time on June 23, 2012. As the valve was opened at the tank and water arrived at household faucets for the first time, cheers and shouts of excitement could be heard throughout the community! With substantial support and collaboration from the San Matías municipal government, the local PDA San Matías organization (Area Development Program, a division of World Vision Honduras), the community of La Concepción, and Water Brigades staff and volunteers were able to start the project in early May 2012 and finalized the project by the end of June 2012. The finished system carries a consistent supply of clean and sufficient water to 144 houses in the community, impacting the lives of approximately 650 people.
Throughout the implementation of the water project, Water Brigades staff, volunteers, and community members of La Concepción, with the collaboration of PDA San Matías and the local municipal government, accomplished the following:
- Dug approximately 3,000 meters of trench.
- Installed an electric pump in the well that provides 26 gallons of water per minute for the system.
- Repaired and painted a 10,000-gallon storage tank with chlorinator.
- Installed approximately 3,000 meters of PVC piping, with pipe diameters including 3-inch, 2-inch, 1 1⁄2 – inch, 1-inch, and 1⁄2-inch.
- Installed 150 control valves, one at each individual connection.
- Installed 1 entrance valve and 1 exit valve at the tank.
- Connected faucets at 144 houses, 1 health center, 1 kindergarten school, 1 primary school, and 3 churches.
- Supplied each household with drinking water storage buckets.
- Established and fully trained a complete, 7-member Water Council. Presented educational workshops in conjunction with the Basic Sanitation Committee to community youth on Water and the Environment, Watershed Protection, Water Quality, Household Sanitation, Personal Hygiene.
“When they turned the water on for the first time, I was so happy that I called my sons and toldthemthatwefinallyhavewateratourhouse! Weareallsohappythatwedonothave to carry water anymore. This is a true blessing.” – Doña Yolanda, La Concepción
Thank you to the Water Brigades volunteers from the University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, Boston University, San Diego State University, San Jose State University, University of Chicago, University of Washington, University of California Los Angeles, University of Texas Austin, University of California Irvine, University of California Riverside, and University of California Santa Barbara for dedicating your time, energy, and resources to the water project of La Concepción.
Additionally, thank you to the Medical Brigades volunteers from Wayne State, University of Pittsburgh, Indiana University, University of South Florida, University of Puget Sound, Grinnell, and University of California Riverside who participated in Water Pilot Brigades. Your commitment to Global Brigades and your passion for the work we do in Honduras made this project possible!
