In Loma Larga, government promises of a safe water supply had been broken repeatedly. After years of disappointments, the members of the community took charge of the situation. Working with CliniCASA staff and guided by a local engineer, they built one well, a water storage tank, and pipes to bring clean water directly to people’s homes. They formed a Water Board of Directors to oversee maintenance of the system and voted to charge each household a small amount for water. Twelve years later, the board is active, the system is functional, and the people of Loma Laga have a dependable supply of safe water. And they were able to keep up with the demand for water by digging a second water well.
The project took a total of 3 years to complete. The first step was obtaining the land for the well and hiring a company to drill the well. The next year the water storage tank was built on land which was donated to Loma Larga. The following year, the community began to dig the trenches which carried the water pipes to each person’s home. Each household is charged a fee to connect to the water and then there is a monthly fee. The town is currently in the process of installing water meters which can measure the amount of water each family uses. Fees will then be adjusted according to usage.
