Start Date: 2010-11-01

Completion Date: 2010-12-15

Technology Used:

The installation of a rainwater collection system will encourage the sustainability of this water center. By this installation, those maintaining the water centre will be able to use the rainwater instead of being totally dependent on the wells. We anticipate that between the pipe system to the filter, and the rainwater harvesting sources, that the need to truck water will be at a minimum. This approach is a major step to move beyond water trucking which is expensive and unsustainable.

This technology is widely used in countries such as Haiti where there is ample rainfall. The technology is a simple roof structure with gutters which drain into a collection system; in this case into the 10000 gallon underground reservoir on site.

The plan is to erect a simple metal roof with plastic piping over the area in the photo which looks like rows of stalls. We are contracting the services of a civil engineer in the US who is fluent in French and Creole and has spent time in Haiti in the Peace Corps. He is very familiar with all the challenges of doing things in Haiti.

This area is the laundry and bathing area and is well suited to have a roof. The plan is to start this project as soon as funding is available. The collection of rainwater has the added benefit of reducing flooding and erosion, both significant problems in Haiti. And it is a simple and low cost and sustainable water collection system. The water will be processed through the reverse osmosis system to make it potable.

The projected time to complete the rainwater harvesting portion of this project is 6-8 weeks.

• Community Hygiene Promoter Training

Members of each community in the catchment area are selected for hygiene promotion training and participate in a course similar to the teacher training course. These community members become stewards of hygiene promotion and encourage, educate and influence the community at large to adopt safe and sustainable hygiene practices. Each promoter is assigned at least 100 families in the area to visit on a monthly basis as well as organize small group gatherings in neighborhoods to address hygiene issues specific to the area. This local and community based education has been very successful in changing behavior patterns and improving health.

Phases:

PWW is proposing a number of activities in Soleil 4 to improve the water system and ensure its physical and social sustainability. Please see the attached document which shows the steps to this project.

Community Organization:

Members of each community in the catchment area are selected for hygiene promotion training and participate in a course similar to the teacher training course. These community members become stewards of hygiene promotion and encourage, educate and influence the community at large to adopt safe and sustainable hygiene practices. Each promoter is assigned at least 100 families in the area to visit on a monthly basis as well as organize small group gatherings in neighborhoods to address hygiene issues specific to the area. This local and community based education has been very successful in changing behavior patterns and improving health.

Government Interaction:

Dinepa is the National Gov. Water and Sanitation Agency. CAMEP is the Port au Prince municipal water authority. They are both government agencies -DINEPA is the regulatory body and CAMEP is the authority in charge of the actual water lines.

PWW will be working with both of these agencies to receive permits, and PWW will be working with CAMEP directly to restore the water lines.

Ancillary activities:

Other Issues:

PWW began working in Haiti in 2008 and has extensive experience in point of use (POU) water delivery systems. Prior to the January 12, 2010 earthquake, PWW installed bio-sand water filters in over 700 schools in Haiti, 225 of which are in Cite Soleil, reaching over 200,000 children.

In Haiti, PWW has partnered with United Methodist Relief Committee (UMCOR), Save the Children (SAVE), Management Sciences for Health (MSH), USAID, Salvation Army Haiti, and many others. PWW currently has ongoing partnerships with MSH/USAID, Save the Children, International Child Care (ICC), the United States Navy Project Handclasp, International Rescue Committee (IRC), The Nazarene Church, the Episcopal Church and the Methodist Church.

1.1 Cite Soleil, Port au Prince, Haiti

Port au Prince, the capital city of Haiti was near the epicenter of the January 12, 2010 earthquake and over 40% of the city’s buildings were either destroyed or damaged. Cite Soleil was particularly hard hit and the inherent vulnerability of this, the poorest area in Port au Prince, has significantly increased their needs. In addition, most international NGOs do not provide any services in Cite Soleil, citing security policy. PWW has worked in Cite Soleil for several years with our schools WASH program and has demonstrated its commitment to the people there. We enjoy strong relationships with the community and community leaders and we are able to work and move safely throughout Cite Soleil.

Since the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti, PWW has temporarily suspended its schools and communities WASH programs and has focused on emergency water delivery principally in the Cite Soleil area of Port au Prince. We have been able to deliver water to up to 80,000 people per day. As we move from the emergency phase of the relief effort into recovery and rebuilding, we are committed to the continued development of sustainable water projects.

Haiti is considered to be the poorest country in the Americas, and one of the most unequal in terms of income distribution —66% of the nation’s wealth is concentrated in just 4% of the population. Even prior to the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010, Haiti had enormous needs in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene education.