Report: Water and Sanitation in San Isidro/Carrizal, Camoapa, Nicaragua

1 well rehabilitation and 15 latrines in San Isidro/Carrizal, Camoapa, Nicaragua

The project in San Isidro was substituted for another in Ojo de Agua, Hispangual.

Update June 20, 2007: The latrines are complete, see attached photo. The well is nearly ready, but has been delayed by our local rope pump supplier. We anticipate completing the well by August, 2007.

Update October, 2007: The well dried up unfortunately. The community is trying to dig it deeper to see if the situation is recoverable. We will see in January or February how the situation looks. If this well is completely dry, then we can substitute San Antonio, Salgado in Camoapa for San Isidro.

October/08 update: The project is now complete, please see the attached photos.

Well project beneficiaries pay for repairs as needed by community colection.

After project construction, water project communities are invited to participate in reforestation. Those who want to do so will develop seedling nurseries, transplant in the rainy season, and maintain the plantations under barbed wire fence and "no burn" protection for three years minimum. Reforestation project includes construction of fuel-saving, smoke-free stoves in the homes of reforestation participants (and eventually others). Community health educators will visit all projects after construction to teach hygience (handwashing e.g.) and encourage ongoing maintenance and repair of all projects, strengthen local committees, etc.

We are seeing more and more problems of wells drying up, most likely due to heavy deforestation in the areas where we are working. Our reforestation program is good, but we may need more help to have a greater coverage of reforestation to keep the water tables from dropping too drastically.