Xolá, Guatemala

The Need: The community of Xolá in Guatemala currently has a water distribution system best described as a "work-in-progress." It provides approximately 625 people in 108 households with untreated water for 1-3 hours per day (e.g. from 8 - 9 am, or 8 - 11 am). This brief window of access to untreated water is insufficient for community members to meet their water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) requirements. Our project seeks increase availability to two three-hour windows per day and provide necessary disinfection. Our chapter believes these water system improvements, when coupled with 1.) An effective fee, operation, and maintenance infrastructure, and 2.) A community education program, will greatly improve the health and lifestyles of the men, women, and children in Xolá.

Background: NMT-EWB began fundraising in earnest in Fall of 2016 and officially adopted the Xolá project in May of 2018. In August of 2018, the chapter made a successful assessment trip to the community. Accomplishments of this trip include:

1. Meeting with all project partners, including the Xolá Water Board, the Municipality of Santa Lucía Utatlán, and the NGO “Agua del Pueblo.”
2. Obtaining requisite survey data:
   1. Technical - GPS coordinates and elevations of points of interest including distribution/transmission lines, tanks, springs, pump, etc., flow rates and pressures throughout system, approximate potential yield of untapped springs, and coliform measurements.
   2. Community - Present WASH practices of households, general health, community feedback.
3. Performing a hydraulic system analysis and conceptualizing a preliminary solution.
4. Formalizing a “Go” decision to continue with the project with the signing of a Community Agreement between EWB-NMT, EWB-Guatemala, the Water Board, and the Municipality, in which the Municipality agrees to cover 25% of the project expenses.

Next Steps: NMT-EWB will formally evaluate several prospective technical solutions by performing an alternative analysis. Our goal is to work with the community to implement the water system improvements in the summer of 2019. To do so, we need to raise approximately $16,000 by April of 2019.