Transform lives with clean water in Honduras

In the Cangrejal Region, water is a precious resource, especially in communities like El Pital. While most community members in El Pital have faucets on their properties, the water quantity is often limited and quality is not adequate for drinking. The present water system was constructed in the early 1990’s and designed for only 16 families. Currently there are over 90 households and only about half are connected to the current system. With such taxation on the existing system, Un Mundo, Engineers Without Borders (EWB), Duke Engineers for International Development (DEID) and the local Water Board have teamed up to develop a new water system, in addition to supporting the community with other methods for managing human and solid waste. In the past few months we have made advances in building capacity with the local Water Board by conducting regular community trash clean-up, recruiting new members, increasing the monthly water quota, and obtaining legal incorporation as a recognized local organization. Additionally, the full topography study was recently completed and data compiled by the Water Board, local community members and Un Mundo staff. With this information, EWB and DEID are currently in the process of developing the designs for the new water system which should be complete in the next few months.

Elias, the son of the Water Board President said, “This project is the most important of all the projects we have embarked on as a community because it affects every single person in our community. Water is life. In order to survive we all need water for every element of our lives. Because we live in a watershed, we have never seen water as a scarce resource. However, now with limitations on water, sicknesses, climate change, and a growing community, we are beginning to learn the importance of investing to have quality water, which will in turn improve our own quality of life.”

The Water Connections Program helps children and families in the Cangrejal Valley in Honduras get access to clean drinking water and improved sanitation to reduce the number of child deaths due to contaminated water. Local communities develop a sustainable community-run clean water system that also includes composting toilets, rainwater drainage and water re-usal systems.