Project Overview
In collaboration with a local foundation and the Honduran government, Global Brigades built a new water system to serve three communities including Los Huatales in 2016. This system provides clean water to over 440 beneficiaries.
Los Huatales, Honduras
When Global Brigades arrived in Los Huatales there was no centralized water system that provided access to all members of the community and the two adjoining communities of Tierras Coloradas and Las Pilas. In the largest community, Los Huatales, there were 5 public wells and 6 private wells from which the water was not purified nor regulated. Due to their proximity to the ocean, many of the wells contained salt water. Moreover, during the dry season, most of the wells would run dry. When the water was not suitable or unavailable, community members were forced walk approximately 40 minutes to the nearest source in Los Langues. Most families filled one 5 gallon bucket per day at the most accessible water source and some chlorinated the drinking water to treat it.
Water System Solution
Water Brigaders from various universities worked in Los Huatales, Tierras Coloradas, and Las Pilas thoughout 2016. These volunteers worked with community members to:
• Drill a large well at the primary school
• Build a 10,000 gallon chlorination tank, and two tanks of 5,000 gallons.
• Dig approximately 10,000 meters of trench
• Install 10,000 meters of PVC piping and 654 meters of iron piping
• Connect 142 houses, 2 schools, and 3 churches to the water system
To ensure the sustainability of the project, a new seven member Water Council was established in addition to a Basic Sanitation Committee both trained by Global Brigades. To fund this project, a partnership was been made with Foundation Miguel Facussé, and the National Congress of Honduras. Foundation Miguel Facussé donated the funds for the purchase of the well and for the installation of the pump. The National Congress of Honduras, committed around 178,000 Lempiras (about 8,000) for the purchase of the pump.
Water Project Stages
All stages of this water project have been completed.