Early on in my service as a part of the community analysis process I was meeting regularly with Health Assistant and Limón resident Anabel (23, 9th grade education). We discussed the community needs of Limón as well as neighboring communities within the area of coverage of the Health Post in Limón. She indicated to me that the community of Pedregoza, just a 30-minute hike from Limón, had no water system; the residents collected water from crude wells. This caught my attention immediately, and became even more striking as I learned that it is the only community I came to know to lack a water system. My main interest in Peace Corps surrounded my interest in contributing to the provision of access to safe water to those who lack it, so my interest was piqued.
POPULATION DISTRIBUTIONOn 22 February 2008 I met preliminarily with the President Anesario of the inactive Water & Health Committee to introduce myself, followed by an introductory community meeting on 18 March. To take advantage of the opportunity to measure water source flow rates during the dry season, we had a first work day on 31 March, assessing roughly ten potential source areas in Cerro Escobal and measuring the flows of those with actual potential. Three candidate source areas were reviewed again with the Associate Peace Corps Director (Panama-Environmental Health) to identify the most feasible source. Perhaps the main reason why a water system did not exist in Pedregoza is for the lack of ideal source areas; no source area introduced to me provided sufficient water quantity – all were disqualified as acceptable sources due to a Panama Ministry of Health regulation setting three gallons per minute as the minimum acceptable flow rate.
The source area determined to be the best alternative, “Mamé,” is located nearer to the peak of Cerro Escobal and deeper in its forested area than the others and provides the highest flow rate. The watershed is rich in vegetation and biodiversity and owned by a Pedregoza resident.
The source structure determined to be the most appropriate for Mamé was a seepage collection system. To test the feasibility of the system, a pilot project was undertaken early on in the process. A 13-meter trench was excavated approximately one foot wide to the depth of the impermeable layer in a way that concentrated the flow to a single point. We measured this flow rate for the first time on 14 June 2008 at 3.7 gallons per minute.
Immediately following the decision to use Mamé as the primary source we surveyed the pipeline route. I used an advanced GPS unit with built-in GIS capabilities (Garmin GPSmap 60CSx) for all surveying, completing the survey several times to verify precision. After acquiring the survey data I completed hydraulic profiles for the transmission line to the proposed reserve tank location and for the distribution line from the tank to the community. Using the profiles I designed the pipeline, leading to the list of materials and budget. The complete design carried a budget of over fifteen thousand dollars, which upon review with the APCD was determined to be less than feasible for simultaneous funding; this lead to segmentation of the project into phases: primary source structure, transmission line, secondary source structures, distribution line to the school only, reserve tank, and house connections. The Water Committee, community members, and the APCD determined that the best option would be an initial project including the primary source structure, transmission line, and distribution line to the school one, with two community faucets.
HYDRAULIC PROFILEWe initially solicited material support from the Governor, the Ministry of Health, district mayor, provincial representative, and national legislators. The Water Committee, especially the president, took a leading role in making office visits to the potential donors and writing letters requesting support. My main role was to provide a reassurance to the potential donors that any allocated materials/money would be used appropriately. We eventually secured the materials for the source structure, valued at a few hundred dollars, from a national legislator through the candidate from his political party running to replace him. We then went through Peace Corps Office of Private Sector Initiatives to secure the remaining 8,800 dollars. A surprisingly large portion of the total (roughly two thousand dollars) came from family, friends, and other interested individuals, and the remainder came from Waterlines, a New Mexico-based NGO.
The early work days, beginning with the assessment of source areas until the arrival of materials, were more voluntary than obligatory. The Water Committee held community meetings to discuss upcoming work days and request assistance; they made it clear that participation was always recorded and would be taken into consideration in the future, though the exact consequences of non-participation were not made clear early on; the early stage of work was in large part completed by individuals motivated to improve the community.
WORK CALENDAR
Prior to the initiation of construction at the end of February, a work schedule was established and approved by the community. It was decided that each community member designated as a worker would work two days per week. The seventy-five workers were grouped by twenty-five, with each group coordinated by two or three members of the Water Committee. The work calendar for the month of March (and the end of February) was made at a community meeting in advance and then displayed at the two community shops. This was repeated for the April calendar.SOURCE STRUCTURES
The construction phase began with the water source structure. The work days were considered all-community work days and were used as opportunities for community members to learn more about working with concrete and concrete blocks. Prior to the work day the Committee reviewed the design and planned for the work days. A local mason who spends most of his time working and living in Panama City made an exceptional trip to Pedregoza to lead the construction of the source structures along with Committee Secretary Pedro Justino. I periodically called the work group together and the two leaders described in a clear way the previous and next steps. Upon completion, the group held a meeting and reviewed all the steps in the concrete process including concrete mix ratios, foundations, steel reinforcement, tying rebar, placing blocks, using mortar, and using waterproofing additives (SIKA-1).To finalize the source structure, we built a small collection box of concrete with a removable concrete cover. The collection box is surrounded first be gravel and then larger rocks to filter the inflowing water. The inlets into the collection box are located vertically midway between the ground elevation and the collection box outlet; this minimizes any sinking and floating material from entering the box. Though no measurements were taken, the system visibly lowers the turbidity of the water; water from the outlet of the collection box is clear and free of debris.
Maintenance will be minimal: we have gone over the need to review the area periodically, remove accumulated debris as needed, and remove accumulated silt from the collection box as needed.
The source structure materials were sufficient in quantity to include in the project a second source structure in the immediate area of the first. The second source was constructed in a similar manner to the first without the collection box; the collection area inlet is raised above the ground elevation a few inches and screened, then surrounded with gravel and then larger rocks. The main difference with the second source structure is that it is entirely capped with concrete because of an above-ground flow that exists in the rainy season that would not be desirable as drinking water; the above-ground flow will run over the concrete cap without entering the collection area. A vertical washout pipe connected to the inlet pipe protrudes up through the concrete cap. Maintenance for this second source structure will involve assessment of the water quality during the rainy season and when needed, perhaps after several seasons, the collection area may need to be cleaned, requiring removal and then reconstruction of the concrete cap. If small debris accumulates in the inlet pipe it can be washed out via the exposed washout pipe.PIPELINE
All stages of the pipeline construction began with me training coordinators and then continued on via the leadership of those coordinators. These stages included the proper placement and gluing of the pipes, river crossings, testing of the waterline and identification of air block locations, assembly and placement of air regulator devices, and assembly of the community faucets.
PIPELINE PLAN VIEW (TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION)RIVER CROSSINGS
River crossings were constructed using a SCH 40 PVC pipe (the strongest caliber available in Panama) as a protective shell around the water-bearing pipeline where it is not buried. The SCH 40 pipe is hung by vertical suspenders from cables tensed between two large tree trunks, in the form of a suspension bridge. Ideally, the ends of the SCH 40 tube are buried so that no water-bearing pipeline is exposed, though due to the significant cost of the SCH 40 pipes this was not realized in a few instances. There are roughly fifteen river crossings constructed in this manner, ranging in span from roughly four to twelve meters.
AIR BLOCKS AND AIR REGULATOR DEVICES
The pipeline is located in a very hilly area and includes many peaks and valleys. Each peak was tested to see if an air block would form by disconnecting the pipe at the next downstream peak to see if the water would arrive. In times when the system would lag behind or to accelerate the testing process we determined if air pressure built up when the disconnected end was capped by a hand; releasing the hand slightly allowed for escaping air to be heard. We positioned an air regulator device at each peak that would produce an air block, preventing the problem. We based the design of our air regulator devices on one recommended to me by Panama Ministry of Health employees. The device uses a floating ball (a Jacks bouncy ball abundant in the provincial capital) in a pipe (three-quarter inch pipe with a male screw adaptor on each end to trap the ball and a screw cap connected to the top adaptor – the screw cap has a needle hole in the center that allows air to pass through while minimizing the amount of water that can pass through) connected vertically to the pipeline with a T-connection; the cap; the ball rises and creates a seal with the top adaptor when the device is filled with water from the pipeline, preventing (in theory, and to a great extent in practice) water from flowing out the needle hole; the ball falls to open the needle hole when air from the pipeline fills the device. The air that would have accumulated into an air block (preventing flow) is allowed to leave the system through the regulator device. We modified the device slightly to prevent a seal from being created with the ball and the bottom adaptor in the case of a vacuum forming within the pipeline; by preventing the seal, the regulator device will also serve as prevention against the unlikely formation of a vacuum. Under normal operation of the water system, the air regulator devices release a nominal trickle of water from the needle hole as the seal between the ball and top adaptor in each device is not perfect; a different ball may provide a better seal though the availability of small, durable balls that float is limited.
COMMUNITY FAUCETS
Two community faucets were included in the initial budget. We ended up being significantly under budget and were able to include two additional community faucets and the additional pipeline to connect them. Each faucet is built using a 4” PVC pipe five feet in length; SCH 40 0.5” pipe is run inside the 4” pipe through a hole made near the bottom, then runs up the length of the 4” pipe and passes through a hole near the top to leave the 4” pipe. Roughly one and one half feet of the 4” pipe are buried, and the 4” pipe is then filled with concrete and a bar of reinforcement steel. A food under and around the buried portion of the pipe was also made from concrete, along with a floor to prevent erosion where the water would fall. The faucet head is connected to the 0.5” pipe protruding from the top of the 4” pipe. A valve is placed on the 0.5” pipe connecting the faucet and the main pipeline.
MAP OF INHABITED PATHWAYSMy collaboration with the community was via the Water Committee and at times with President Anesario alone. I emphasized the importance of community ownership and leadership of the project and tried to maintain a low profile; I strongly believe and explained to the Committee members that the community needs to see the Committee as the leaders of the project for sustainable continuation upon my departure from the Panama. This was balanced with the motivating factor of having a foreigner at community meetings and work days, along with critical importance of participating in the community activities and ensuring mutual respect between the community members and me. For example, during some community meetings I was the main speaker and facilitator and sat or stood in front of the audience, while during other community meetings President Anesario was the main speaker and facilitator and I sat in the audience; in the case of the latter, Committee members and I would discuss important topics in advance.
Throughout the project, I facilitated the meeting of Water Committee members and employees at the Potable Water Office of the Ministry of Health, funding entities, and public officials such as the mayor of the provincial capital. The Committee members now have a better understanding of the support that can be provided through the Ministry of Health and other official entities. The Committee has taken the initiative to work with the Ministry of Health to have themselves officially recognized by the government and seek additional funding through the provincial representative and the Ministry of Health.
The main improvements needed for the project are the future phases. We prioritized the phases as follows: additional sources and the connection pipelines, storage tank, house connections.
Fundamental to the Pedregoza water project was capacity development and training of small groups of project coordinators related to project development and management of similar endeavors in the future. I placed great emphasis on the importance of the local coordinators themselves leading the projects, from identifying community needs to soliciting funds and determining work schedules; the only step in which the beneficiaries themselves did not play the major role was technical design of the water system. My hope is that the community members of Pedregoza will expand on the successes we were able to share during my service as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
