La Colorada Abajo Water System – Dominican Republic

Water Charity is participating in this project, which involves a number of other entities and individuals, by providing the final funding necessary to get the project underway.

The community of La Colorada Abajo, Municipality of Malmon, Puerta Plata, is home to more than one hundred people, who currently live without access to potable water. During the rainy season, the river often rises to prohibit vehicular traffic to the main road, thereby isolating the community.

To meet their daily needs, families currently collect rain and stream water that is contaminated with diarrhea-causing parasites. Diarrhea can lead to serious health complications, including dehydration and malnutrition, particularly in young children and the elderly.

The gravity-fed system outputs over seven gallons of water per minute, which is sufficient to meet the needs of the residents as well as those of the community centers: a schoolhouse, two community churches, and a local baseball park.

To ensure sustainability, the community has a water committee which was formed to manage the project from planning through construction and maintenance. The project will take approximately 5 months to complete.

The schedule calls for the purchase and transportation of materials, the digging of the trench, the assembly and burying of the pipe, and the construction of the tank, intake, river crossings, and standpipe.

The residents of La Colorada Abajo will supply all necessary labor for the project, amounting to almost 30% of total costs. In addition, all members will pay a biweekly quota toward system upkeep, and will pay to be connected to the system.

Project funds will be used to purchase the required materials. The project is being implemented under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Sarah Casey.

Plumbers will be trained to maintain the system. Health promoters will train the community in hygiene and sanitation, and make home visits to ensure compliance. Sustainability will be insured by fiscal responsibility in the collection and disbursement of funds for maintenance.

Participants will gain leadership and technical skills, which will carry forward to future community projects, and may lead to employment opportunities for those who take part.

This project, arising from and supported by the community and progressing through the organizational and planning stages, has the elements needed to continue through the construction phase on schedule and within budget. It will lead to the elimination of water-borne disease, and empower the community to progress to other development projects.

To indicate your desire that your contribution be allocated to this project, click to Donate button below.