Water Treatment and Distribution Project
Have you ever had to worry about getting sick from drinking water? Do you think about what bacteria might be in it before you take a drink? Are you afraid to bathe your children for fear they could catch a deadly disease? Have you ever had to miss work because you were sick from the water you drank?
These are common concerns for the citizens of the 2nd poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
Access to clean water is a major problem for the majority of rural Nicaraguans.
Many impoverished families drink unclean water from rivers and wells that are polluted with disease-causing pathogens. Drinking and bathing in contaminated water can cause severe illnesses like diarrhea, birth defects, cancer, typhoid fever, cholera and sometimes even death. In addition to the bacteria, tainted water contains high levels of calcium, which may be connected to the increased incidence of kidney stones among this population.
Lack of clean drinking water leads to increased consumption of soda. Wouldn’t you, too, choose a “safe” drink over one with known bacteria? Unfortunately, soda can cause numerous health concerns: high sugar intake, dehydration, fatigue, and tooth decay are just a few. One of the most prevalent diseases in rural Nicaragua is diabetes – a direct result of increased sugar intake.
We believe that EVERYONE deserves access to clean water
At the Roberto Clemente Health Clinic, we have set out to develop a reliable water source, treat the water for known health concerns, and provide a distribution system for the clinic, the community, and local schools. The goal of the project design is to alleviate the high concentration of calcium by utilizing water softening techniques, as well as chlorinating and using a UV filtration system that will be implemented in our plant.
Once the plant is installed, our team will be able to fill 5 gallon containers of water to sell at a discounted rate to the members of our community. People will be able to bring their plastic containers to refill.
The residents of the surrounding community have pledged to spread the word and support the expansion of this project.
Through recent studies, we have estimated that a typical family in Limon, will use 5 gallons of water over 2-3 days translating to 75 gallons per family over the course of 1 month. Our pilot program will benefit 300 families bringing them 22,500 gallons of clean water per month.
For the pilot program, we need a treatment system that will produce a capacity for 1,000 gallons per day.
Our initial implementation of this pilot program will cost approximately $15,000 and construction is scheduled to begin on April 15th.
We Cannot Do It Without You!
Please consider joining us in providing critical uncontaminated water to the underserved people in Limon, Nicaragua.
We thank you very much for your consideration in helping us with this important project.