CLEAN WATER FOR NICARAGUA

Well Update

Water Project - May 2023

The six wells we drilled were visited. Three were working well and providing the only source for safe drinking water to the communities. In those locations we have to make sure all residences are hooked up to the system. The water committees are working well, contingency plans are in place and one village is even selling water to surrounding areas to supplement their contingency fund. Electrical bills amounted to $1 to $3 USD per month and manageable by the population.

One well where the pump was stolen is awaiting ministry approval to re-hook the pump.

One hand pump in a remote area was not working ie wouldn’t keep its prime. During our visit the pump was pulled, new piping and washers were installed and to a tremendous applause by the villagers, is now working well.

One well in a very hilly area was only being used in an emergency. The reason they gave included it was too expensive to pump the water up to the tank at the top (they requested the tank be put higher up). Because of a slight sulphur smell to the water they wondered if the water is safe to drink. We have another tank we can put at pump level to help with the cost of electricity. The sulphur smell is not a health hazard, was very faint, and dissipated when water was left in the tank for a day. This is obviously an educational problem which we will address. Again it is the only safe potable water for the community so it is essential that they use it.

Water for health

In the past few years five new wells were drilled and three distribution systems installed to existing wells to pipe water to convenient parts of the village or homes. The men and women of the village did the trenching for the systems by hand. We have replaced a system where water was obtained from shallow wells or rivers to a system of clean, safe drinking water. Clean potable and accessible water should be the right of people all over the world. We have installed electric pumps in all the wells, except La Flor which has no electricity and will be using a hand pump. Five water towers were also installed. Each village received teaching on health issues, wise water usage, water testing, sterilization etc. A committee was formed in each village called CAPS and they are in charge of overseeing the wells and usage, as well as collecting the money to pay for future repairs and electricity to run the pumps. This will make the project sustainable in the future.

We are very much indebted to all of the people who donated for this to happen, you have changed the lives of over one thousand families. We are also very thankful to our representatives in Nicaragua and to the Rotary club locally and in Granada for helping us carry out this project. Their president Gustavo Reynosa spent many hours visiting, organizing and supervising the project for the Rotary Club of Granada. This is an example of Rotarians working together internationally with no political agenda to benefit mankind.

Doug Thompson

Janice Rauser- co-leader and founder of COMMIT at the well inauguration in Nandarola, September, 2021

Edgar, COMMIT's onsite manager, stands by one of the water project plaques

The electric water pump and tower in the village of La Vigia

Safe, clean drinking water

The villages we support in Nicaragua depended on water from unsanitary wells, rivers  or a trucked in supply once or twice a week. Sanitation with limited or unsafe water was a challenge as you can imagine. Clean water is one of the basic rights of all human beings. We have drilled a few wells in communities in the past to help the situation, however we recognized this to be totally inadequate. For the past 3 years we have been working on a Global Rotary Grant with the Rotary Clubs of Stratford and Granada Nicaragua that will bring wells, electric pumps and water towers to 6 villages and a distribution system to two of our larger villages where transport of the water is a hardship. This is combined with sanitation teaching and implementation to ensure that water is used wisely. This grant was recently approved and work will start shortly. The villages, local government and COMMIT are elated over this development. The impact in health and sanitation will affect over 700 families with clean and abundant water. It will also impact in a significant way, the economy of these small villages. Thank you to the Rotary Clubs involved, our donors and all the people that made it happen. Special thanks to Dr. Doug Thompson, Dr. Paul McArthur, and Rotarian Charlene Gordon for their incredible commitment and hard work to get this project approved.  2020