Abstract
IntroductionDespite the efforts made in recent years, access to clean water is one of the most pressing issues facing the globe. In the Central American country of Honduras alone half of the population does not have access to clean water. Eighty percent of the illnesses within the country are water borne and 50,000 children under the age of 5 die as a result of these illnesses each year.In the early 2000s, Lehigh University professor of archeology, David Small, visited the town of Pueblo Nuevo, Honduras to conduct social and cultural field research. Professor Small returned to Lehigh with a complete social assessment of Pueblo Nuevo, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the impoverished life led by the 1,000 members of this rural Honduran town. In 1998 Hurricane Mitch had ravished the town, most notably leaving their water distribution system in shambles. With no source of clean and reliable water, about 80% of the residents reported crippling water borne illnesses and routinely spent hours each day collecting the necessary water to carry out everyday tasks. In 2006, a group of dedicated students and faculty made the pledge to find a solution to the water issues of Pueblo Nuevo, Honduras, forming the Lehigh University chapter of Engineers Without Borders.Throughout the next several years, the members of Lehigh University Engineers Without Borders (EWB-LU) made several assessment trips to Pueblo Nuevo. After much social and technical research, it was decided that the existing piping system should be used to distribute water to town after traveling from the spring to a storage tank and chlorination system. The town leaders agreed to repair the current water distribution system in order to save valuable resources and to avoid water losses through the distribution process. The technical designs were approved by EWB-USA and the town of Pueblo Nuevo and implementation was finished in January 2010. However, the first system test brought attention to a major problem. The tank drained faster than it could be refilled, and the town was left with two choices: use this new system and have an unreliable water supply, or go back to the old one, which provided plenty of water. With a focus on quantity over quality, Pueblo Nuevo chose the ladder. The town was again left without a disinfected source of water. EWB-LU spent the next year attempting to determine why the system that had been so carefully designed failed to provide Pueblo Nuevo with a sufficient amount of water.Project Turning PointsWith a system that could not meet an unexpectedly high water demand, the chapter explored several solutions to combat the technical failures.After two years of exploration and attempts at a resolution, EWB-LU made the tough decision to abandon the project, both for social and technical reasons that are still being analyzed by chapter members. Socially, the town did not have an understanding of our purpose, goals, and timeline for the implementation of the water distribution and sanitation system. There was no relationship between the early members of EWB-LU and the members of the town or local leaders and preliminary research was compiled with no explanation of what it was for. Because this relationship lacked, the people did not feel any ownership of the project and took no steps to help find the necessary technical solutions. Education was not a priority in the initial phases of the project and measures should have been taken to explain why EWB was there, why disinfected water was important, why water conservation would play a crucial role, and how the town could support the chapter. With this lack of trust and cultural understanding, the project failed to be relevant in the eyes of the town.After a review of the technical aspects of the project, it became clear that pipe leaks in the previous distribution system were causing a large portion of the disinfected water to drain before reaching the intended destination. In conjunction with unplanned losses, the estimations of daily water consumption and town growth were not thoroughly researched so the tank could not supply enough water to keep up with the excessive demand. Because the tank size could not be adjusted and the people would not change their cultural water usage habits, the project would never supply an adequate amount of water for Pueblo Nuevo.Ultimately, the project was abandoned because of a poor relationship with the junta de agua and unrealized expectations of the townspeople.Lessons Learned in Pueblo Nuevo, HondurasAs a chapter, we have learned from our failures in Pueblo Nuevo. The chapter has been analyzing the relationships built with the town, as well as the technical implementation of the project in order to determine how to proceed with future endeavors.Before beginning a new project it is vital that chapter members educate themselves on the town's culture and needs. Members must take the time to travel to the town, meet with the community and study their lifestyle patterns. Installing a new water system which will provide the community with a necessity that they have never had—purified water—will undoubtedly improve community lives and perhaps even the economy of the town. However, it cannot be expected that community members will change their habits so that they may benefit from the system. Once a thorough assessment of the town has been completed it is important for a chapter to agree on overall project goals that will take into consideration the unique social and cultural aspects of town life.Beyond an understanding of the needs of those you are serving, it is imperative to develop a relationship with the community that is built upon trust. Moreover, a similar relationship should be maintained between the chapter and a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) or in-county partner. Though it will take a lot of time and effort on the part of chapter members, it is essential in completing a successful project. Begin building such relationships by visiting each party and discussing with them your intentions. A contract or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will need to be drafted and signed by chapter members, community leaders and NGO partners. We have found that when creating such contracts between the chapter and the community, it is advantageous to require the community to contribute to the project in some way. This could be a monetary or labor-based contribution. Whatever their contribution, it is important that the community feel a sense of ownership for the project, so that when we have completed our work they will be invested in the maintenance and use of the system.As the project progresses, continue to share all work completed on the project with the community and NGO to gain both feedback and approval. Showing the community that we value their input and have made project adjustments based upon their stated needs will give the community a reason to trust our engineering judgment. When traveling is not an option, maintain communication through phone calls or emails if at all possible.Moving On: La Fragosa, HondurasSince the halt of our work in Pueblo Nuevo, the chapter has focused on a new project in La Fragosa, Honduras. After receiving a letter from the town that expressed their need for a water distribution system, the chapter has responded by beginning the steps to a water sanitation and distribution design. We plan to use a multidisciplinary approach to design that incorporates social development, community education and technical implementation. Though the system is still in the early developmental phases, it is anticipated that the design will threefold: (1) A water storage tank with a hypo chlorinator or other means of water decontamination, (2) a piping and distribution system that will connect with a sanitation station at each home, and (3) educational programming that will promote the virtues of hygiene, the importance of clean water and the treatment of water borne illness. We have not yet completed the assessment phases of the project, but have been traveling to collect necessary data for the creation of finalized designs and hope to begin the implementation of the system in the spring of 2014. As we continue to work in the community, we hope to establish a sense of trust and understanding between our group and the people. By developing this relationship, we hope that the community will feel a true sense of ownership for the project upon completion. Because we have built such a strong relationship with the community, we believe that there is a higher potential for project success in La Fragosa.Learning from our mistakes in Pueblo Nuevo, we solidified relationships with members of the La Fragosa's junta de agua (water board) and the Honduran NGO Agua y Desarrollo Comunitario (ADEC) before completing any work on a water system. With both parties we have clearly stated and agreed to contracts and good relationships which we maintain by communicating on a monthly basis. As a chapter we have determined that our goal for this project is to create an entirely new water distribution system that will send chlorinated water to a tap at each house. We have explained to the community that in order for them to be benefitted from the system water must only be used for potable purposes which they understand and agree to. We will continue to educate them on such water use.Upon implementation, community members will be responsible for installing the system with the help of qualified personnel provided by ADEC. They will also be expected to maintain the system for which they will pay a small water tax. We trust that the community will hold true to these commitments because we have already witnessed their efforts to ensure that the system is completed. For the past year various community members have been farming land that belongs to the owner of the water source being used for the system as he requested this be done before he would relinquish ownership.