Water Projects
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During our exploratory trip to San Pedro we met with the mayor and city council.  Of all the needs submitted to us, the need for chlorinated and filtered water was unanimously presented to us as the number one need.

The water flows from the mountain three kilometers away.  When the town has the money, men go up the mountain and chlorinate the water by pouring pool chlorine in a concrete tank.  By the time water reaches the town, no one knows how much chlorination is left.  The water disperses into seven pipes that feed 21 water stations, which are in need of repair (broken, leaking).  The people collect water at these stations in pots or buckets and carry it home to fill concrete type sinks which hold it for their daily use.  This water also goes to a large clothes washing tank in the center of town square where the poorest come to wash clothes.

Therefore, our first efforts are to assist them with upgrading their water chlorination and purification system.  This project will begin with a two prong approach. 

One, the water stations where the people receive the water must be repaired.  Two of the 21 have been restored.  During the month of May two more will be completed.

The second prong will entail assisting them with an automatic, consistent chlorination process.  During a trip in January 2009, Ken Kohn, an engineer with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, joined us to determine what could be done to better chlorinate and purify the water for the village. 
WATER STATION IMPROVEMENTS TO DATE
AFTER
BEFORE
We visited the origination site of the water supply (see above), three kilometers up the mountain.  As a result of that trip, plans are being developed to build a chlorination and purification site closer to town.  This will provide access to electricity that can be used to power an automatic chlorinator and provide easier access for people to add chlorine as needed. 

Once water testing is complete, more specific costs can be determined to know exactly what will need to be done to purify the water before it is dispensed to the people at the water stations.