Monday, August 11, 2008

Back to Honduras...

I've been out of the loop as I've been busy preparing for our next trip. We've got a good group of 10 enthusiastic and smart people, so we're looking good.

Someone found our first project on Google Earth. A bit to the upper right of the center is the construction of the tank; the picture was probably taken 1/2 way through.

Here's the skinny on the next projects...
La Nueva Suiza
The work in La Nueva Suiza continues as most of the homes do not have chimneys, so the smoke from the stove/oven remains in the kitchen.
There is no electricity, but now that the dam and tank are working and managing the water, there is actually more water than they need. The overflow can power a generator to produce electricity.
Las Chicas
Currently Las Chicas has a small tank but has serious problems with water distribution. The community is quite poor and has difficulty raising funds. At the same time the tank has no lid, is covered with mold and has no chlorinator.
There is no electricity in Las Chicas. There are two options: the town is 300 m from an electricity distribution pole or an off grid solution like La Nueva Suiza is a possibility.
Many of the homes do not have proper latrines. Gray water and waste management area serious problems. Some of the homes do not have "pilas" or a water basin (25-30 gallons) that are used as the water management center for all homes – washing clothes, dishes, bathing and everything water, they are essential.
Tegucigalpita
A fairly large community of 4,500 people,they have more resources. We see our role more as the pure consulting engineer. They need the big picture, the calculations, the plan for water usage, conservation and management for the next 10 years.