pre-assessment report chapter: university of minnesota ...wiki.ewb-umn.org › images › e › e4...

© 2013 Engineers Without Borders USA. All Rights Reserved of 23

Document 521

PRE-ASSESSMENT REPORT

CHAPTER: University of Minnesota

COUNTRY: Guatemala

COMMUNITY: Simajhuleu

PROJECT: Uniting Water and People

TRAVEL DATES: March 14-23, 2014

Prepared By

Alex Motley

Dan Hoffmann

Jacob French

Rachel Orlovsky

Jacob Roble

Luke Horsager

Justin Schnee

Spencer Borchardt

Rebecca Herron

Adam Talajkowski

January 19, 2014

ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS-USA

www.ewb-usa.org

521 - Pre-Assessment Report Revised 09/01/2013

University of Minnesota

Simajhuleu, Guatemala

Uniting Water and People


Pre-Assessment Report Part 1 – Administrative Information

1.0 Contact Information

Name Email Phone Chapter

Project Lead Jacob French [email protected] (314) 629-5100 UMN

Project Lead Rebecca

Herron

[email protected] (319) 431-5517 UMN

Simajhuleu Lead Alex Motley [email protected] (314) 704-9058 UMN

President Kelly Stifter [email protected] (651) 328-1937 UMN

Mentor #1 Kevin Miller [email protected]

m

(612) 644-1170 MN

Mentor #2

(Travelling)

Kim Haglund [email protected]

m

(651) 308-8147 MN

Mentor #3

(Travelling)

Justin Schnee [email protected] (651) 230-4199 MN

Faculty Advisor Matt Simcik [email protected] (612) 626-6269 UMN

Health and Safety

Officer

Rebecca

Herron


Assistant Health and

Safety Officer

Samantha

Meyer


Education Lead Daniel

Hoffman


Planning, Monitoring,

Evaluation and

Learning (PMEL)

Lead

Jacob French [email protected] (314) 629-5100 UMN

NGO/Community

Contact

Elizabeth

Howland

[email protected] 0115024932888

9

Long

Way

Home

2.0 Travel History

Dates of Travel Assessment or

Implementation

Description of Trip

January 5-12,

2008

Assessment Meet with Simajhuleu community. Discuss existing

design for proposed water line. Explore alternative design

options. Collect information on community, topography,

availability of water, water quality, soil stability, ...

July 9-17, 2008 Assessment Survey Simajhuleu residents about water usage. Gather

additional technical data about the existing water

distribution system.

Aug 23 –Sept,

2009

Implementation The construction of a 130,000L concrete rainwater

cistern and supporting rainwater collection system for the






school in Simajhuleu. Also training locals to be able to

operate and maintain structures in the future.

January 6-17,

2010

Assessment Investigation into possible solutions to the village-wide

water problems with data collection of multiple forms.

(e.g. survey)

May 19- June 2,

2010

Assessment Continued data collection with regards to a solution for

Simajhuleu’s water system. Began addressing

alternatives analysis with the village to determine a best

possible design to move forward with but were

interrupted by Tropical Storm Agatha.

August 24 –

Sept 3, 2010

Assessment Completion of intended discussions from previous

assessment. Reached an agreement with local officials’

responsibilities for a future implementation. Surveyed

potential construction sites and obstacles.

Feb 17 – Feb 21,

March 11 – 21,

2011

Implementation Originally supposed to be an implementation, but

political and communication issues put the project

temporarily on hold. Instead, an assessment trip was

conducted to gain a better understanding of the new

governing board.

Aug 10 – Aug

23, 2011

Assessment/

Monitoring

Made improvements/ repairs to existing Rain Water

Harvesting system. Collected data regarding spring line

system.

3.0 Travel Team (Should be 8 or fewer):

# Name E-mail Phone Chapter Student or

Professional

1 Jacob French [email protected] (314) 629-5100 UMN Student

2 Rebecca Herron [email protected] (319) 431-5517 UMN Student

3 Nick Bodette [email protected] (651) 295-7032 UMN Student

4 Kim Haglund [email protected] (651) 308-8147 MN Professional

5 Jacob Robole [email protected] (612) 229-9205 UMN Student

6 Samantha Meyer [email protected] (763) 607-6920 UMN Student

7 Burke Minahan [email protected] (920) 495-8726 UMN Student

8 Daniel Hoffman [email protected] (715) 803-5666 UMN Student

9 Justin Schnee [email protected] (651) 230-4199 MN Professional

This assessment trip has a travel team of 9 people because it is sharing a travel team with the

implementation trip that is occurring in Agua Caliente during the same period.

4.0 Health and Safety

The travel team will follow the details depicted in the stand alone Health and Safety Report

(HASP) that was submitted with this document.






5.0 Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

5.1 If this will be the first assessment trip for the program, is the Draft 901 –

Program Plan and Baseline Study included with this report? ___Yes ___No

_X_Not the First Assessment trip

5.2 This is not the first assessment trip and the travel team has reviewed the

901B – Program Impact Monitoring Report template and has assigned travel

team members to complete this report during the upcoming trip. We

acknowledge that the completed 901B is required with the eventual submittal

of the 522 – Post-Assessment Trip Report. _X_Yes ___No

6.0 Budget

6.1 Project Budget Project ID: University of Minnesota Agua Caliente, Guatemala

Type of Trip: Assessment = $1,500

Item Quantity Unit Price Total Cost

Travel

Airfare 9 round trip flights $850 $7,650

Gas Q1000 to LWH for 1 week $130 $130

Transportation 2 Trips to the airport $80 $160

Misc. To LWH $500 $500

Total

$8,440

Travel Logistics

Inoculations Inoculations for 9 people $10 $90

Insurance 9 people $15.75 $142

Total

$232

Food and Lodging

Lodging 9 people for 9 nights, 81 man nights $10 $810

Food and Beverage Dinner @ Feliciano’s 81 times $3.75 $304

Misc. Gratuity $20 $20

Total

$1,134

Labor

In-country Logistical

Support Internet access at LWH for 1 week $25 $25

Misc. Translator for the week $1,000 $1,000

Total

$1,025

EWB-USA

Program QA/QC Assessment $1,500 $1,500






Total

$1,500

Grand Total

$12,331

7.0 Project Discipline

Water Supply

____ Source Development

____ Water Storage

__X_ Water Distribution

____ Water Treatment

____ Water Pump

Sanitation

____ Latrine

____ Gray Water System

____ Black Water System

Structures

____ Bridge

____ Building

Civil Works

____ Roads

____ Drainage

____ Dams

Energy

____ Fuel

____ Electricity

Agriculture

____ Irrigation Pump

____ Irrigation Line

____ Water Storage

____ Soil Improvement

____ Fish Farm

____ Crop Processing Equipment

Information Systems

____ Computer Service

8.0 Project Location

Latitude: 14.79

Longitude: -90.85

9.0 Project Impact Number of Persons directly affected: 800

Number of Persons indirectly affected: 2,500

10.0 Professional Mentor Resume

Justin Schnee

Education:

Iowa State University

BS Civil Engineering, 2011

Experience:

Associate Engineer






Bay West LLC, St. Paul, MN

April 2013 – Present

Primary plant operator/engineer for a 1,000-gpm groundwater recovery and treatment system for

TCE and chlorinated VOCs at the Former Naval Industrial Ordnance Plant Superfund Site, a

weapons manufacturing facility.

Responsibilities include daily O&M/repair of all GWTF components associated with the site,

including:

Routine maintenance of the groundwater extraction system which consists of 9 extraction

wells, 4 air strippers (capacity of 250-gpm each) piped in parallel, feed pumps, discharge

pumps, a polymer feed system, an acid cleaning neutralization system, various field

sensors and a SCADA system

Working with PM to identify/integrate system optimization technologies, update system

O&M manual, and communicate with regulators and Navy

Conducting NPDES permit sampling; groundwater gauging and sampling

Oversight of crews to complete annual sampling

Specialty equipment vendor and subcontractor oversight

Site security and safety and health oversight

Quality Control Engineer

EFCO Corp., Des Moines, IA

May 2010 – March 2013

Responsible for documentation and verification of quality for items manufactured and received

accomplished by the creation and implementation of inspection plans, application of statistical

analysis for process improvement, and continuous communication with design and process

engineers.

Field Technician

Des Moines Water Works, Des Moines, IA

September 2012 – April 2013

Responsible for ensuring optimal operation of a lime softening treatment facility and an UF/RO

treatment facility by conducting plant inspections, water sampling, and lab testing.

Field and Lab Intern

Certified Testing Services, Sioux City, IA

Summers 2007 – 2008

Provided construction projects with field and in-house testing and inspection services to ensure

quality and to document construction workmanship. Responsible for conducting concrete field

tests for slump and entrained air and conducting in-house flexural and compressive strength tests.






Inspecting the quality of reinforcing steel assemblies and placement for concrete construction.

Collecting soil samples and performing proctor density test.






Pre-Assessment Report Part 2 – Technical Information

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Uniting Water and People is a water distribution project proposed by the University of

Minnesota Engineers Without Borders Chapter (EWB-USA UMN). A proposed assessment trip

is planned from March 14-23 2014. During this trip, EWB-USA UMN will survey any changes

to the current system made since previous assessments in 2010 and hold meetings with the

community to communicate the proposed plans to improve the water distribution system.

The goal of the project is to improve the current water supply and distribution system of the

community. Currently, the community water system suffers from increased demand, decreased

supply, and uneven pressures across the system. This project aims to correct these issues; in

multiple phases if necessary.

The name of the community is Simajhuleu, a village of about 2500 people in the region of

Comalapa, Guatemala. Simajhuleu is economically, socially, and politically isolated from the

rest of Guatemala largely due to its inaccessibility in the central highlands. This inaccessibility is

exacerbated during the rainy season when rain, mud, and landslides effectively obstruct dirt

roads, which serve as the only means of transportation in to or out of the village. Simajhuleu,

covering an area of approximately six square kilometers, has an almost 40-year-old PVC pipeline

originally designed and left incomplete by a Canadian engineering firm. This is the current

means of distributing water to the residents in the community, along with the water collected by

the rainwater harvesting system built by EWB-USA UMN in August 2009. The number of

residents in the village has almost doubled since the original system was designed, resulting in a

larger demand for water. As the system ages, leaks occur from built up pressure at the end of the

system, further decreasing the amount of water available. The outdated gravity fed water

distribution system goes through 150 meters of vertical elevation change in which water pressure

can exceed 215 psi. The citizens of Simajhuleu are forced to keep all taps open to prevent the

excessive pressure from damaging the aging and inadequate pipe system. The COCODE, the

water board of the village, is responsible for the care and repair of the water system. Most of its

members are skilled tradesmen in masonry, plumbing, and carpentry. Along with collaborating

with the COCODE, EWB-USA UMN has partnered with Long Way Home, an in country NGO.

Long Way Home is a non-profit organization that uses sustainable design and materials to

construct self-sufficient schools that promote education, employment and environmental

stewardship. Long Way Home assists by facilitating communication with the community and

project planning. EWB-USA UMN expects the current partnership to continue on this

project. The project partnership agreement with the community is being developed and a draft of

the agreement can be found in Appendix B.

EWB-USA UMN began a relationship with the community of Simajhuleu, Guatemala with an

assessment trip in January 2008. This trip focused on meeting with the community, discussing

the existing water quality, supply, and distribution system, and collecting general information

about the community. A second assessment trip followed in July of 2008, during which






additional technical data was collected about the water distribution system. An implementation

trip occurred during the end of August and beginning of September 2009, during which the

construction of a 130,000 liter concrete rainwater cistern and supporting rainwater collection

system was constructed for a school in Simajhuleu. The community members were also trained

at this time to operate and maintain the structure. Three assessment trips occurred in January,

May, and August of 2010, all of which consisted of data collection and discussion with the

village regarding possible solutions to the village-wide water system problems. During the

August trip, an agreement was reached with the local officials concerning future implementation

and construction sites were surveyed. A trip for the implementation of a new water system was

supposed to occur in February of 2011, but political and communication issues put the project

temporarily on hold. An assessment trip in March 2011 was conducted instead, having the goal

of better understanding the new governing board in Simajhuleu. In August 2011, an

assessment/monitoring trip was made to make improvements and repairs to the rainwater

harvesting system and to collect data regarding the spring line water system.

During the proposed assessment trip in March of 2014 the main goal is to document any changes

to the system since EWB-USA UMN was last involved with the community. The travel team

will also take any necessary measurements to obtain data that has changed due to changes in the

system. The topographical maps for the previously planned distribution system will also be

verified to ensure that the planned locations for the pipes and tanks will still function. It is also

crucial that the travel team begin to communicate the plans for the project to the community as a

whole. To achieve this, EWB-USA UMN will hold several community meetings to explain the

plans for the proposed system and answer any questions that the community members may

have. The travel team will also inspect the rainwater harvesting system that was implemented in

August 2009 to monitor its condition.

Upon the completion of this trip, it will be determined if enough information has been gathered

to fully plan an implementation trip. If so, implementation details will be agreed upon with the

community to proceed to project completion. If not, another assessment trip will be made to

collect missing data, followed by an implementation trip at a later date.

2.0 INTRODUCTION

The community of Simajhuleu is a skilled trade and farming community in the region of

Comalapa, Guatemala. The mountainous terrain and unkempt road to the community keep it

fairly isolated from the nearby larger community of Comalapa, but despite this fact, several

members of the community travel there to sell goods or find work. This area of Guatemala has a

pronounced rainy and dry season because of its geographical location and mountainous terrain,

causing some issues with the ability of the community to have a reliable source of water year

round. With no spring running through the community and a six-month dry season, rainwater

harvesting alone was not a viable solution to provide sufficient water to the community. It is for

this reason that the community sought the aid of a Canadian engineering firm to help them

design and construct a spring water supply and distribution system 40 years ago. The Canadian

company pulled out before the completion of the project, leaving the community with an

incomplete and therefore poorly operating system that they've attempted to improve and upkeep






over time. The existing system consists of two long spring lines leading to a large tank, which

then feeds the distribution system throughout the community. With a lack of any pressure break

system in the mountainous area, the system goes through 150 meters of vertical change causing

pressure in some areas that can exceed 215 psi. Some households barely receive water, while

others have to constantly leave their taps on to avoid bursting pipes that lead to their houses. The

COCODE, or community water board, currently rations water distribution with a rotating

schedule that allows access to water one out of every three days. Since the system was built, the

community has also expanded. The current system now provides water for 2,500 community

members. EWB-USA UMN plans to complete a series of implementations that will improve the

spring lines to the system, control the pressure differences in the distribution system, and help

the community maintain a more consistent water level in the holding tank. This will provide the

community with a dependable supply of water that they can rely on year round.

With assistance from the Minnesota Professional Chapter of EWB USA, EWB USA-UMN has

engineered a solution to reduce the pressure load in Simajhuleu with a series of pressure break

tanks. A new trunk line will be installed to connect the pressure break tanks on one end to the

existing storage tank and at the other end to the existing distribution system. This new system

will provide water to Sector 5 and will connect to existing lines that serve individual homes.

Each segment will be served by one pressure break tank, which will be designed to limit the

maximum pressure for each segment. This will allow families who have received a sufficient

amount of water to shut off their taps without damaging the system.

By reducing the pressure EWB-USA UMN will also allow the water board in Simajhuleu to

begin work on the existing distribution system. Until now the water board has been fixing leaks

and repairing the system to the best of their ability. However, due to the high pressure, a fix in

one part of the system often causes another area to fail. After the pressure is regulated, these

repairs can become permanent.

To begin to address the issue of excessive demand these implementations will be partnered with

an ongoing education campaign. This will focus on demonstrating to the community the

importance of closing their taps when they have received the appropriate amount of water. We

will stress the importance of this requirement as no system can operate with every tap open at all

times.

The work required to address the many flaws of Simajhuleu's distribution system are beyond the

scope of a single implementation. Therefore, future implementations will include creating

pressure break tanks for Sectors 1 through 4, which will be very similar to the proposed system

for Sector 5. This will be followed by the construction of a storage tank, which will provide the

village with the ability to store one day worth of water. This new tank will allow the system to

meet peak demand as well as act as a safety net when the supply lines are broken.

3.0 PROGRAM BACKGROUND

The proposed project has a unique history with EWB-USA UMN. The project implementation

was attempted in 2010, but was forced to be abandoned due to change in political leaders in the






area. EWB-USA UMN will be re-assessing the community to update any data that may have

changed in the three years that has passed since the planned implementation as well as making

sure the community is fully informed during all project phases in order to avoid the same

political misunderstanding that occurred in 2010.

Simajhuleu is a community of approximately 2,500 people. An almost 40-year-old PVC pipeline

originally designed and left incomplete by a Canadian engineering firm is the current means of

distributing water to the residents. The number of residents in the community has almost doubled

since the original system was designed, resulting in a larger demand of water. As the system

ages, leaks occur from built up pressure at the end of the system, further decreasing the amount

of water available.

The pipeline is composed of PVC no greater the 2 ½ inches in diameter and the majority is

constructed from 1 ¼ inch and3/4 inch PVC. The system is fed from three springs located 4 to 8

kilometers away. In 2010 the springs were able to supply the community with 92 liters per

capita daily (LPCD). This was determined through measuring the inflow into the main tank

where all three supply lines meet before entering the distribution system. At this point in the

system, a chlorination system was installed and is still currently used to clean the water before

being distributed. The chlorination system is a pool chlorinator that uses tablets, supplied by the

government, to treat the water. This system has been tested by the government and has passed

due to no identification of biological contaminants. Our team also analyzed the water in 2010

and confirmed the government’s results. Our investigation also tested for contamination from

chemicals, heavy metals, and physical characteristics. All of these tests concluded that the water

was safe to drink.

The COCODE, or water board of the village, is responsible for the care and repair of the water

system. The COCODE is a group of elected officials that regulates the uses and repairs of the

system and has been able to keep the current system operational for almost 40 years with very

limited monetary resources. This is a direct result of the skills possessed by the COCODE

members. Most members are skilled tradesmen in masonry, plumbing and carpentry. This skill

set will factor into EWB USA-UMN’s materials selection as well as our operation and

maintenance plans.

4.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This goal of this project is to bring an effective way of distributing water to the many households

of Simajhuleu through the implementation of new water tanks and piping. We plan to construct

pressure break tanks in strategic, predetermined locations throughout the community to dissipate

excess pressure in the system. Part of the piping distribution system will also be redesigned so

that each household receives an adequate supply of water. This project is planned to take several

years to complete and is going to start where the need for water is most prevalent. It was

determined that Sector 5 is the most in need of water, so the implementation will start there.

When the project is completed, the goal is for all of the community of Simajhuleu to have

reliable access to water, one of the most basic human rights. Drawings of the community and the

proposed changes can be found attached.






5.0 OBJECTIVES OF SITE ASSESSMENT TRIP

The objectives of our site assessment are described in the following section. EWB-USA UMN's

goal is to examine the system as a whole and determine what first phase would have the largest

community impact. Despite our detailed assessments two or three years in the past, the

community has made significant changes to try to get a consistent amount of water to more

households utilizing the system, so our group has determined that much of the assessment

process has to be repeated. We are designing this assessment with the intent that there will be a

second assessment before the first phase of an implementation.

5.1 Spring Line Assessment

Our previous assessments refer to three spring lines providing water to the distribution tank and

system. Since this time the community's needs have increased, and one of the spring lines was

put out of commission. We will be examining the existing spring lines for leakage and potential

increased capacity, as well as survey two springs and areas for potential new spring lines to add

to the system. In order to do this we will be using the TRIMBLE as well as hand held GPS units

for geographical information about the potential locations. We will compare these with existing

geographical data in order to examine how much of the system has changed since the

assessments two and three years ago.

5.2 Water Tank and Pipe Assessment

The main goal of this part of the assessment is to compare our existing data with the updated

system. We have significant amounts of data, and our group hopes to update large portions of

this rather than starting from scratch. The plan is to use our current topographic map of the

Aldea of Simajhuleu, outlined in Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings attached, to find the

points where the pressure break tanks were going to be added, and see if these are still trouble

points. In order to do this, pressure gauges will be taken in order to take pressure readings at

points of potential stress in the system and determine if these locations are still the most at risk

areas. We will re-map our pressure readings with the existing and see what remains the same

after the community has changed parts of the system and what should be updated. The previous

plan can be found in Appendix A. We also need to determine if any of the land where the

pressure break tanks were planned to be located have changed ownership. If there are changes in

property ownership, we need to ask the landowners for permission to potentially place the tanks

on their property. Furthermore, we will be assessing the overall operation of the system to

determine whether the logical first step in 2010 is still a logical first step now.

5.3 Damage and Change Log

Over the last few years that this project has been left untouched, there are potential changes that

may have occurred that we intend to look into. The rainwater harvesting system (RWHS) that

was implemented in August 2009 will be inspected to ensure that it is still in optimal

condition. This will be accomplished with both a physical check and by communicating with the

community and NGO. We also plan to do an inspection on the main water tank that supplies the

community with water to check if there are any immediate repairs that need to be assessed. The

travel team will also talk with the COCODE and the local plumber who repairs the system, Don






Lucas, to ensure that we are aware of any changes to the system. So far we know that much of

sector 5's distribution system was replaced with larger pipe in order to try to ensure flow to

farther places. These changes will be inspected and documented so they can be factored into the

updated design of the existing water distribution system.

5.4 Community Meetings

During this trip we will meet with both the COCODE and the community of Simajhuleu as a

whole to ensure that we are communicating our plans clearly and effectively with them. The

COCODE is the village’s political leadership concerning water related issue. In the past there

were communication issues between our chapter and the community as a whole. We plan to

have several meetings to answer any questions in the community and explain our plans and

rational. By engaging in these community meetings along with the COCODE we will also be

able to show that unity exists between our EWB Chapter and the COCODE, helping to validate

our group within the community.

We also need to begin discussing the concept of conserving water with the community. On

previous assessment trips it has become apparent that many of the community members run their

taps continually since they don’t consistently receive water on their appointed day. No matter

the solution implemented, it will require that the community only run their water when they need

it, not all the time. Therefore, it is crucial that we begin to change the culture of wasting water in

the community for the long-term success of the project. The meetings during this assessment trip

will begin to educate the community about this as it will likely take several meetings before the

community starts to change their habits.

5.5 Rainwater Harvesting System

Although the main purpose of this trip is to assess for the water supply and distribution system,

there are two main goals regarding the monitoring of the rainwater harvesting system (RWHS) in

Simajhuleu. These include 1) following up with RWHS implementation work that was

performed in August 2011, and 2) inspect and quantify operating condition/ maintenance of the

RWHS. Most of the work in country will be an extension of regular phone calls to the

community and NGO.

6.0 COMMUNITY INFORMATION

6.1 Description of the Community Simajhuleu is a community in Guatemala located in the central highlands of the country. It is

economically, socially and politically isolated from the rest of Guatemala largely due to its

inaccessibility. The population consists of about 2,500 people. Its residents rely heavily on a

water distribution system that was implemented more than 40 years ago. Within the community

there is a water board, or the COCODE, that is responsible for the care and repair of the current

water system. Its members are skilled tradesmen specializing in carpentry, plumbing and

masonry.

6.2 Community and Partnering Organization/NGO Resources and Constraints






The COCODE is the water board of the community, which works to improve and maintain their

water system. They regulate the use of the water of the community members as well as complete

repairs. They’ve been able to keep their current system operating for more than 40 years despite

little outside resources. A benefit to this project is the members of the COCODE are skilled

workmen, which will help with the implementation of the water system in water sector 5. In

addition to the COCODE, Don Lucas, the town plumber, is the person who often repairs any

damage to the system and thus has a thorough understanding of its operations and problems. In

past trips there were problems with communication with the community and political stability

within the COCODE, which was a constraint in finishing the project. However, the new

COCODE is aware of the previous problems and is in agreement that these factors need to be

eliminated. Simajhuleu is located remotely in the central Guatemalan highlands. However, most

of the resources needed for the project can either be found in the village or are available within

driving distance in the nearby city of Comalapa. The in country NGO, Long Way Home, has

helped with numerous implementation and assessment trips in the past, as well as helped

maintain communication with the community. For this project EWB USA-UMN expects that

Long Way Home will continue to assist in communication and planning with the community and

COCODE of Simajhuleu.

6.3 Community Relations

After the last implementation trip was placed on hold due to a political change in the COCODE,

EWB USA-UMN did not keep in contact with Simajhuleu except to continue to monitor the

rainwater harvesting system installed in August of 2009. During the previous implementation

trip to Agua Caliente in August 2013, members of the COCODE contacted Liz Howland, the

main point of contact for Long Way Home, in hopes of meeting with the EWB USA-UMN

again. The members of the COCODE had changed again and the new COCODE wanted to

reopen the relationship with EWB USA-UMN. During this meeting the relationship with

Simajhuleu was rekindled to continue the project with sector 5. Since then Long Way Home has

helped maintain communication with the community.

6.4 Community Priorities

The community has invested a substantial amount of time and money into maintaining their

current water system. Both the age of the system and its PVC construction has led to concern

over the system’s longevity. The community wants the help of EWB USA-UMN to propose a

more sustainable and effective water distribution system so that residents will have reliable

access to water. This will allow members of the community to not have their taps on all the time,

hoping to collect water when it becomes available. The COCODE is not only interested in an

improved system for sector 5, but also for the rest of the community of Simajhuleu, which will

be implemented at a later time.

7.0 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

7.1 Spring Line Assessment

During our time in Simajhuleu we will be assessing potential places to add new spring lines to

the system. Since our last assessment in Simajhuleu, one spring line has been put out of






commission, and when paired with the fact that several households have been added to the

system, the amount of water being supplied may no longer be sufficient for the community.

While there we will use the TRIMBLE borrowed from Barr Engineering as well as several hand

held GPS units to survey potential Pamamus Spring access points as well as potential paths for a

new spring line to take from these locations. Based on these observations, we will talk to the

farmers who own land in the area and see if they would consent to having a pipeline run through

their property. This will help us prepare for a potential implementation on the supply lines if

EWB-USA UMN determines this would be the most appropriate first phase of the project in

Simajhuleu.

7.2 Water Tank and Pipe Assessment

7.2.1 Water Tank Assessment

EWB-USA UMN will be using a Level Logger to record water data from the tank and see what

sectors are most in need of increased supply capacity. From our previous assessments in the

area, EWB-USA UMN had determined that the sectors on the three day location were extremely

disproportionate, and for this reason some days in the rotation use significantly more water than

others. Determining which sections have the worst overuse problems will help EWB-USA UMN

determine which distribution sectors need the most immediate attention as far as leakage

prevention, pressure breaking, and education about water conservation i.e. turning taps off when

not in use. This will also help determine if more supply is really needed, or if the usage is not

significantly over the supply and simple fixes like pressure breaks and conservation could take

care of the problem.

7.2.2 Pipe Assessment

Two different methods of assessment will be used to more closely examine the distribution

system. Pressure gauges will be used to test several potentially problematic points in each sector

to see if there are points in the system where pressure break tanks could still be beneficial. In

addition to this, the pipes will be examined for size, wear, and leakage. This will give EWB-

USA UMN a more complete picture of the distribution system to add to the existing CAD

drawings created from the assessment trips two and three years ago. This will help EWB-USA

UMN determine which sectors are in the most immediate need of help, as well as determine what

stage of the system provides the largest problem to the overall health of the system.

7.3 Damage and Change Log

Because of EWB-USA UMN’s involved history in the area, the group has a significant amount

of qualitative and quantitative data about Simajhuleu and the exsisting spring water supply and

distribution system. In order to utilize as much as possible, we will be talking one on one with

several important people from the community including the plumber, Don Lucas, who is in

charge of maintaining the system. This will help EWB-USA UMN determine what existing data

is still accurate, and what parts of the system have had significant changes since our group was

last involved with the community.

For our assessment trip we will be collecting data to supplement 3 existing maps that have been

created from past assessment and implementation trips. The 3 different maps are:






• Static Pressure Model

• Topography Map

• Household Location and Sector Map

7.3.1 Static Pressure Model

This model was developed by a professional engineer in the Minnesota EWB chapter. From

meeting with the professional chapter we were able to determine from this model that high static

head was most likely causing the majority of damage within the system. We also were made

aware of the inaccuracies of the model which limits our ability to understand exactly the extent

of the problems with the distribution system and what its eventual fixes may be. To form a more

comprehensive and accurate model of the distribution system we will need to collect additional

elevation, pressure, usage and line leak related data. By collecting these types of data, we will be

able to better assess the damage to the system and what the options for implementation maybe.

These results can then be presented to the community to provide them with a better

understanding of the options to repair the distribution system.

7.3.2 Topography Map

The goal to supplement this map is to take GPS elevation readings at locations that will be

potential sites for the neighborhood tanks. This data can then be plugged into our Static Data

Model and the effects of possible tank locations can be seen in terms of pressure changes in the

village.

7.3.3 Household Location and Sector Map

The Household Location and Sector Map shows the village broken into “Water Sectors”. This

map can be found in the PDF attachment with the previous project plans. These are the areas

that receive water at the same time, and are fed by the same distribution line. For example all of

the houses in Sector 1 receive water on the same day (of a 3 day interval) and are all fed by a 1 ½

in. distribution line that stems from the 2 ½ in. line exiting the tank. The houses on the map were

located by GPS on a previous assessment trip.

On this assessment trip we would like to verify that the water sectors are correctly zoned.

7.4 Meetings

EWB-USA UMN will have several meetings with the COCODE and the community throughout

the week in order to make sure that all information about a potential implementation is

transparent and understood. This will help the group make sure that some problems that

occurred in 2011 are not repeated, and the community agrees with our proposed next step.

7.5 Distribution Line Water Meters

For the January 2010 assessment trip, three water meters were installed. One-2” water meter was

installed on the main line and two-1” water meters on the Las Minas lines. In addition to the

main line water meters, 4-5 in-line meters at various points within the distribution system were

installed. It has recently come to our attention that the community does not know how to utilize

these water meters, which could potentially provide valuable data to EWB-USA UMN. For this

reason the group will be educating the community on how to use these meters and record data for






our group after the trip. This will help us assess the flow rates to different part of the

community.

As indicated above, these water meters will allow us to model the consumption patterns of the

smaller community clusters that exist in the village. By understanding the consumption patterns

of these smaller communities we would be able to better size a neighborhood tank if the

hydrologic model (along with the community) demonstrated that this option was a viable one.

These flow meters will also allow us to back calculate the loss that is occurring due to leaks

within the system. We could determine this because we will be able to compare the main line

flow meter against the smaller sector line flow meters.

7.6 Water Quality Data

We plan on collecting water quality data from the source waters for the village as well as at

various locations within the distribution system to determine if the water is being properly

treated. The tests we plan on using are mandated by EWB for water quality assessment.

7.7 Material Cost Information

With the help of our NGO, Long Way Home, our chapter has identified and worked with several

materials vendors in the Comalapa area in the past. Our chapter has access to a price list for

common construction materials that is maintained by Long Way Home, which we will update

during this assessment trip. During the past implementation trip for this project much of the

material was purchased before the project was put on hold. This material was given to the

contractor whose hotel we stay at in Comalapa to sell so that our chapter could recoup its costs.

During the assessment trip the chapter will meet with this contractor to inventory what has been

sold and what materials we already have for the future implementation.

8.0 PROJECT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

A project partnership agreement is being developed that will be signed with the community

during the assessment, detailing our relationship with the community in the future. The

document 902 Project Partnership Agreement was referenced when creating this agreement. A

draft of the agreement can be found in Appendix B.

9.0 SCHEDULE OF TASKS

Below is a brief break down of what the assessment team plans to do each day. Because of the

large variety of activities, there is a contingency day where any remaining tasks will be

completed which were not allotted enough time.






Time 3-14 3-15 3-16 3-17 3-18 3-19 3-20 3-21 3-22 3-23

7:30 AM

Travel

Day

Intro

meeting

with

COCODE

Meet with

current

COCODE

and land

owners of

the

locations of

the tanks

Survey

landscape

using

topography

maps

Community

meeting

with

COCODE to

discuss

current plans

and water

conservation

ideas

Retake

flow

rates

of

water

tanks

and

pipes

Meet with

community

to discuss

the project

and answer

any

questions

Survey

landscape

using

topography

maps

Contingency

Day

Travel

Day

8:30 AM

9:30 AM

10:30

AM

Surveying

using

topography

maps

11:30

AM

Inspect

current

water

tank,

piping,

and water

source

Inspect any

new damage

or changes

to the

system

12:30

PM

Monitor the

Rain Water

Harvesting

System

1:30 PM

2:30 PM

3:30 PM

4:30 PM

10.0 PROJECT FEASIBILITY

The overall goal of this project is quite large. To determine whether or not this project is a

reasonable task to complete, it was necessary to determine the feasibility of it. The factors to be

considered were cost, level of difficulty, materials, equipment, amount of labor required, and

community motivation and involvement. The cost to update the distribution system has been

approximated and is a manageable amount for EWB-UMN to pay using funds already in the

EWB-UMN account and funds from additional fundraising. Because the implementation will be

split up into several pieces, the cost will be incurred over several years. In addition, a large

contribution from the COCODE will be used to help pay the total necessary to complete the

project. From our work in the community in the past we are confident that we will be able to

find all the materials either in the community or in the surrounding areas. After the assessment

trip has been completed, a better idea of what materials and the amount of each will be needed,

along with a better idea of what equipment will be needed to most efficiently complete the task.

The necessary labor is all work that can be completed by students with the help of members from






the community. This project will involve a substantial amount of plumbing work and there are

multiple members of the community who have had experience working as plumbers, one of

which, Don Lucas, has been in charge of working on and repairing the current distribution

system. This project is going to require interaction between EWB-USA UMN and the

community. We have worked with Simajhuleu in the past and feel confident that we will be able

to effectively communicate and work with them. It is going to be crucial that the community

understands the work that will be done and what type of involvement we need from them. There

will be members of the travel team along who can speak and translate Spanish to help ensure

correct understanding between both groups. During and after the construction of the distribution

system, proper communication with the residents is going to be essential because it is necessary

for them to understand that they need to be conscious of how they use the water and need to

remember to turn off their taps when not in use. To do this, we will need to provide community

education on how to properly use the updated distribution system. After examining the criteria

used to determine project feasibility, the examination helps provide support that this project is

feasible.

11.0 PROFESSIONAL MENTOR ASSESSMENT

11.1 Professional Mentor Name and Role

Justin Schnee is the lead technical mentor on the Simajhuleu project. He has several years of

water resources experience and will be traveling with the assessment team in March upon

approval of this document.

11.2 Professional Mentor Assessment

Justin Schnee has worked with the Uniting Water and People Team to develop a plan for moving

forward with the continuation of the assessment phase of this project. The plan is outlined in this

report. To ensure the sustainability of this Chapter’s efforts in Simajhuleu, previous

implementations will be evaluated, community meetings will be conducted to communicate

future project plans and to teach the importance of water conservation, and data collected during

previous assessment trips will be verified and additional data collected as necessary. This

assessment phase is critical to continuation of the project by preparing it for the implementation

phase of the proposed water distribution system improvements.

11.3 Professional Mentor Affirmation

I acknowledge my involvement with the assessment phase planning outlined in this report and I

full support it.






Index of Appendices

Appendix A: Overview of Simajhuleu

Appendix B: Draft of the Project Partnership Agreement

Appendix A: Overview of Simajhuleu






Appendix B: Draft of the Project Partnership Agreement Engineers Without Borders

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Chapter

Minneapolis, Minnesota

15 January 2014

COCODE de Simajhuleu


Regarding: The assessment of the spring water supply, tank, and distribution system of

Simajhuleu

This contract is an agreement on the assessment of the water supply and distribution system of

Simajhuleu between The Community of Simajhuleu, represented by the COCODE of

Simajhuleu, and Engineers Without Borders University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Chapter

(EWB-USA UMN). Engineers Without Borders and The Community of Simajhuleu will

undertake the stated responsibilities for the assessment process.

The COCODE of Simajhuleu will:

Accurately represent the greater Simajhuleu community to EWB USA-UMN

Adequately explain the assessment activities and project process to all community

members

Organize community meetings requested by EWB USA-UMN during preparation and

execution of the assessment

Provide community guides for daily assessment activities, as well as any help EWB

USA-UMN needs on a per day basis to aid in assessment tasks

Allow EWB-UMN onto the private property of anyone utilizing the system in sectors 1-6,

as well as the private property where the spring lines run.

Continue having monthly contact with Engineers Without Borders about updates in the

community, preparation of the system for implementation, and future coordination with

EWB USA-UMN

Regularly follow the monitoring procedure provided by Engineers Without Borders to

preserve the integrity of the existing rainwater harvesting system and perform

recommended repairs.

Engineers Without Borders will:

Provide 100% of assessment costs

Provide for transportation, food and lodging for all of its travel team members with the

help of Long Way Home

Provide a daily agenda of assessment activities and community meetings prior to arrival

in the community to allow Simajhuleu to prepare adequately






Keep in regular contact with Simajhuleu before and during the assessment to discuss

community assistance needs

Continue having monthly contact with the COCODE of Simajhuleu about updates in the

community, preparation for implementation, and future coordination with Simajhuleu

Provide educational materials for reference for the community during the assessment to

aid in the longevity of the existing system for the time being

Provide the community with an updated maintenance plan for the sustainability of the

rainwater harvesting system

Both Engineers Without Borders and the COCODE will uphold the stated responsibilities for the

assessment of the spring water supply and distribution system in order to assure a timely and

successful implementation. This Agreement will be signed prior to EWB-UMN’s arrival for the

assessment in March.

________________________ ________________________

President of COCODE Student Lead of EWB UMN

________________________ ________________________

Vice President of COCODE Professional Lead of EWB UMN

pre-assessment report chapter: university of minnesota ...wiki.ewb-umn.org › images › e › e4...

Documents