plan 46Water and Sanitation Projects in Nicaragua 2007

Summary

wells, latrines, gravity flow projects in Camoapa, Dario and El Sauce, Nicaragua

Background

El Porvenir has worked in these three regions for 7, 12, and 17 years respectively developing potable water and basic sanitation projects in small rural villages which had no other possible source of financial support for infrastructure.

Location

Managua, Leon, Matagalpa, Boaco, Nicaragua

Attachments

  • latrine_...
  • school_w...
  • Blue_Pla...

Focus

Primary Focus: Drinking Water - Community
Secondary Focus: Drinking Water - Households

People Getting Safe Drinking Water: 1,068

178 families will help build their own wells and water systems.

School Children Getting Water: 70

There is one primary school well amongst our projects proposed for 2007, in La Reina, Camoapa. There are 70 students.

People Getting Sanitation: 686

106 families will help build their own latrines.

People Getting Other Benefits: 1,276

1276 people will receive health and hygiene education, training in long term maintenance of projects, opportunity to take part in reforestation of microwatersheds

Start Date: 2007-01-01

Completion Date: 2007-12-31

Technology Used:

Water projects: gravity flow spring capture, hand-dug wells with rope pump (see http://www.ropepump.com), simple traditional latrines, modified for ventilation.

Phases:

Projects which include both wells and latrines in one community will be developed in two phases, latrines first, then wells. Well development concentrated in dry season which is very short in Camoapa region.

Community Organization:

The community had to come to El Porvenir in the first place to request this project,i.e. it is a need identified as important by the community. We do not initiate projects. The community must elect its own committee to manage the project and take long term responsibilityfor its care and maintenance. Community provides all labor on a volunteer basis. community must obtain site control of any water project, through donation or purchase, which is legalized by attorney and municipal government. Community finances any repairs needed in the long term.

Government Interaction:

Ancillary activities:

See above. In addition, technicians who supervise construction of gravity flow systems teach maintenance, leave small kit of needed tools with the community, and all beneficiaries sign an agreement for careful use of water, payment of monthly maintenance fee, etc
In well projects several members of every community participate in installation of rope pump so that later they know how to take it apart and fix it and reinstall it. Repairs are cheap, e.g. $3 for a new rope.

Other Issues:

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.

In order to measure the impact of our projects, we collect data several times a year from clinics serving rural districts where we have a high concentration of projects: number of visits due to diarrhea, etc. As the number decreases we feel that hygiene education has been effective.

For further information, please review our web site: http://www.elporvenir.org

Maintenance Revenue:

Gravity flow water project beneficiaries pay monthly stipend in anticipation of system repairs. Well project beneficiaries pay for repairs as needed by community colection.

Maintenance Cost:

Metrics:

Prior art before metrics

Cost: $61,425

Please see attached document.

Co Funding Amount:

Community Contribution Amount:

Estimated value of volunteer labor all projects $US6000

Fund Requested: $61,425

Attachments

  • latrine_...
  • school_w...
  • Blue_Pla...
  • 2 participants | show more

    Great work

    Ned Breslin of Water for People

    I think this is a great project, well thought out and submitted by a serious and professional organisation. Many people say they will monitor but I think El Porvenir's work on this is excellent and substantive. we have a great deal to learn from you all Thanks ned

    I think this is a great project, well thought out and submitted by a serious and professional organisation. Many people say they will monitor but I think El Porvenir's work on this is excellent and substantive.

    we have a great deal to learn from you all

    Thanks

    ned

    • Rob Bell of El Porvenir

      Thanks a lot Ned. We also have a lot of respect for Water for People. On the monitoring note, I think we can stil do more, and I hope to overhaul our monitoring systems this year. If you or anyone else out there has any insights on effective indicators that are not too burdensome for my promotors in the field to collect, I'd be glad to he...

      Thanks a lot Ned. We also have a lot of respect for Water for People.

      On the monitoring note, I think we can stil do more, and I hope to overhaul our monitoring systems this year. If you or anyone else out there has any insights on effective indicators that are not too burdensome for my promotors in the field to collect, I'd be glad to hear about them...

      Thanks,
      Rob

  • 2 participants | show more

    Tecnnology used and costing

    Thomas Palgadhmal of Watershed Organization Trust

    The attached document of cost details could not be traced. Therefore we would like to know the following: 1. What would be the total cost of drinking water project and per person cost of the same. 2. 178 families would be assisted in the construction of wells and water systems. How many wells would be constructed and what is the unit cos...

    The attached document of cost details could not be traced. Therefore we would like to know the following:
    1. What would be the total cost of drinking water project and per person cost of the same.
    2. 178 families would be assisted in the construction of wells and water systems. How many wells would be constructed and what is the unit cost of the well. Whether it is a community well or individual well. What is the average number of beneficiaries per well?
    3. What is the unit cost of latrine and the details of the type of technology used. For e.g. at our place, the low cost unicef model of 2 pits is being used. (Composting latrines)

    • Rob Bell of El Porvenir

      Thomas, thanks for your question. (By the way, Rajesh, I cannot download our budget from the page either (from Firefox), and it doesn't seem to want to let me edit the application to try and put it again, any advice?) Back to you Thomas: 1. We calculated the cost per person at $30.14 overall. In just water, it is a total cost of $15,550U...

      Thomas, thanks for your question. (By the way, Rajesh, I cannot download our budget from the page either (from Firefox), and it doesn't seem to want to let me edit the application to try and put it again, any advice?)

      Back to you Thomas:

      1. We calculated the cost per person at $30.14 overall. In just water, it is a total cost of $15,550US and $22.67 per person. (including wells and water systems)
      2. There are 5 wells, one extension to an existing water system, one new water system and 178 latrines. All of our projects are community based. In these 5 wells, the average number of families is 8 and 61 people (one of the wells benefits a small school as well as the families) Our average unit cost for wells is $1800US. A rehabilitation of an old well runs from $500-850 depending on the damage and wear on it. 2 of the 5 wells are rehabs.
      3. The unit cost of our single pit VIP latrines (although we are considering the double pit model for 2007-8) is $160-200, average $180.

      I hope that helps. If you need more info, I will gladly email you the budget. (email me at porvenir@turbonett.com.ni) Thanks.

      Rob

  • 2 participants | show more

    Can we change region focus

    Rajesh Shah of Blue Planet Network

    Is it possible to do all the projects in one region? Instead of using the funds in 3 regions, do you have enough identfied villages in one region (personally prefer the driest one) that all the projects could be more consolidated? Secondly, how can we introduce the family planning workshops into these projects (like what was done last ye...

    Is it possible to do all the projects in one region?

    Instead of using the funds in 3 regions, do you have enough identfied villages in one region (personally prefer the driest one) that all the projects could be more consolidated?

    Secondly, how can we introduce the family planning workshops into these projects (like what was done last year)?

    • Rob Bell of El Porvenir

      Hello Rajesh In some future year, maybe 2008, we could plan our funding allocation in order to allocate a specific number or total dollar amount of projects in one region. At present we have committed virtually all of our 06-07 projects to specific funders and there are not enough left unfunded to make a concentration in one region. I...

      Hello Rajesh

      In some future year, maybe 2008, we could plan our funding allocation in order to allocate a specific number or total dollar amount of projects in one region. At present we have committed virtually all of our 06-07 projects to specific funders and there are not enough left unfunded to make a concentration in one region. I am sending you by email the tracking sheet we use to allocate projects to grantors so you can see the problem directly for yourself. Could I ask why you would want us to do that? We have regional funding from two other foundations, but they do not just fund water/san projects, they fund community health education, reforestation, staff salaries including portions of central office admin and accounting, office expense, staff transportation, development costs for potential new projects, and capital purchases (e.g. water testing equipment, motorcycles, sump pumps for well cleaning, etc). If Blue Planet would like to shift to that type of funding instead of trying to reach $25 per person for water, we would be more than delighted to assign a region to Blue Planet and submit a buget for our regional work. Our driest region is El Sauce in Leon province. We could start now planning such a proposal to you for 07-08.
      We can introduce family planning workshops at any time by coordination with ProFamilia whose staff did those workshops in Blue Planet communities last year.

      Carole

  • Rating: 7

    review by Blue Planet Network

    The sustainability of the sanitation component is questionable. Since the latrines will last a few years (always less than projected span), and there is no revenue model, there will be a need to fund more latrines and there is no way to remove the old eyesores either.

  • Rating: 8

    review by Watershed Organization Trust

    The strategy used for community mobilisation, maintenance, people's contribution is significant.

    The low cost technology for pumping of water which requires negligible maintenance is remarkable.

  • Rating: 10

    review by Water for People

    Truly excellent and should be financed. I look forward to exploring sanitation results after the project is done as this is a challenge for us all.

  • Rating: 9

    review by CARE

    Well throught out project design. It's obvious El Porvenir has good experience in the sector.

Name Status Completion Date Final Cost
Water and Sanitation Projects in El Sauce, Nicaragua 2007 completed Aug 2007 0
Water and Sanitation Projects in Cuidad Darío, Nicaragua 2007 completed Dec 2007 9,850
Water and Sanitation Projects in Camoapa, Nicaragua 2007 completed Dec 2007 0
Water and Sanitation Projects - administration in Nicaragua 2007 completed Dec 2007 0