Water Project - Primavera

H20 Para La Primavera

Part I of Tank and Hand washing Station Construction

With the support from Agua Para La Salud (Ms. Weaver and Lynn Roberts), Water Charity (The Boyles), the municipality, Cementos Progreso, and the community, we have had the opportunity to construct a 10,000L Ferro-Cement water tank and an eight faucet hand washing station. There are three school buildings in the center of Primavera. The tank is located behind the second school (located between the other two and at a higher elevation). The first three weeks consisted of building the tank itself. The following two weeks will consist of constructing the hand washing station and digging trenches for tubing that will run down to the other two schools in order for them to have access to water from the tank as well. So far it has been a great experience learning from the masons and the community members.

Here are some photos of the construction taken place over the past three weeks:

Day 1 of dropping off the materials.

Only in Guatemala. This was my view
 from the passenger seat.

They had to walk almost two miles to get this water
 from a "well" then carry it back on their backs like this.

Donation from Cementos Progreso. Such a big help!  

All the old chairs and desks just chillin' outside. They were stored
in a room that was going to be knocked down for the tank so
 we removed all of the desks. Ten minutes after we finished
they decided to change the location of the tank.
Peace Corps Mantra: Patience, Flexibility, Patience...

The mason helpers sure do their fair share of work. The 

strength and endurance these men have is very respectable.

The beginning of the base of the tank. A one meter high base was
 required in order for the tank to sit at a higher elevation than the depositos
located in the other two schools. This will allow now allow for gravity to
pull the water to the other schools rather than using a
 "bomba" (pump) which would require electricity.

Me and my pal Joni. He's such a character. 

We then filled the entire base with rocks. I was quite
sore for some days after

Then, we covered the rocks with gravel.

Snack time! The girls pouring milk/cereal for the workers. 

We then added cement to the base and started
 constructing the tank with iron rods.

Starting the "Spider". Tying all the iron together
to make the frame of the tank.

Almost finished with the iron part of the tank.
 When the kids asked what this was,
we told them it was a cage for a pigeon ;-)

The "beds" the masons will be sleeping on for five weeks.
Wooden slabs with cardboard supported by cement blocks.

Cutting the iron and using tie wire to put in the door.

Chicken wire wrapped around the frame. 1,839 tie wires later.
Note to self: Wear gloves next time!

Cement foundation inside and out.

Mason Antonio handing out in the wheelbarrow during Snack Time

The 10,000L tank at the end of three weeks. Today, they
 finished the last layer of cement over the base as well.
 I'll post a final, final picture in the next post.

So, the following week we will construct the hand washing station and the next week we will dig the trenches to connect the tubes from this tank to the other two depositos in the other two buildings. 

I will post another blog upon the completion of the project in a few weeks.

Thank you so much to all of those who have supported this project!!