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 Rotary
Club of Port Townsend
International Service
The Batzaja Water Project,
Quiche Province, Guatemala
The village of
Batzaja, Quiche Province, Guatemala was largely destroyed in the early 1980's
during the Guatemalan civil war. As a result villagers were forced to move to
Nebaj, about two hours away by foot. The local economy is agriclulture and
currently 39 village families walk four hours a day to work on their land in
what was a thriving Mayan village, Batzaja. Now, bringing potable water again
to Batzaja is essential to restoring Batzaja as a viable community where
families can build homes on their land and work their farms.
The project,
conducted by Port Townsend Rotary volunteers in conjunction with the local
Rotary club, Guatemala Sur, is designed to supply the village with sufficient,
safe and convenient water by concrete masonry impoundment of a spring supply
in the mountains above the village. The spring water source for the system is
then piped by trenched PVC lines to a holding tank from which a distribution
system of lines go to village delivery points which will become home sites.
One of the most important destination points is the lavamano (hand washing
station) at the school. A water hygiene educational program to be conducted
as a component of this project will emphasize safe use and maintenance of the
water supply in the future and teach villagers, especially the children, to
wash their hands regularly at the lavamano. The project includes household
needs by providing a concete slab at home sites where villagers build water
taps (pilas) and pits for grey water treatment. Trees are then planted around
the pits to comprise a field vegetative grey water treatment “facility”.
Eight Rotarians
from Port Townsend Rotary Club, three sons of Rotarians, and one spouse
traveled to Nebaj to work daily at the project site in Batzaja, first,
inspecting the spring to be enclosed by concrete impoundment, then helping
with its building and trenching for the lines. They also assisted the local
masons with the construction of the lavamano at the school. A second project
undertaken was the construction of a 5-cabin enclosed cinder block and roofed
latrine for the school. If time would permit, they intend to help build the
water taps (pilas). Some of the volunteers, experienced in hygiene education
and food preparation spent time providing classes in these subjects for the
local Mayan families.
(mouse-over photo for
caption, click on photo to enlarge)
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