• Domaine :

  Water

• Région :

  South America

• Pays :

  Peru

  Vidéo

The project: 

To bring to the village of Sinar, in Peru, a water treatment system and to ensure its sustainability.

The project description:

The community of Sinar is not unlike the millions of communities across the world that lack access to safe water. The regional government lacks resources to tackle these problems and promote development which leaves the community with underdeveloped infrastructure. Children are constantly sick and missing school. Parents are trapped, desiring more for their families. Progress is stunted. Without help, there is little hope for this forgotten community.
Contaminated water is a primary factor perpetuating the continuous poverty cycle plaguing this community. Currently, diarrheal illness, cholera, and malaria are prevalent in Sinar and members of the community know that their existing water source is contaminated.
From our assessment, we know that the majority of the community obtains their household income working in agriculture. Their average household income is $60 USD per month and there is no electricity available in the community. The community and local municipality have agreed to partner to provide a treatment system enclosure and help promote health and hygiene education. The community also understands that safe water fees will be collected for sustainable operation of the water treatment system.
Misiones del Agua Peru’s Community-Managed Safe Water Project Model facilitates transformational change in a community while attacking relational strongholds of the poverty cycle. This transformational change occurs through sustainable safe water, sanitation and hygiene education practices. The long-term sustainability of the safe water project is supported by a financial plan that accounts for ongoing operational costs and savings for equipment replacement costs. The foundation for all of these components is a stable management structure, which is embodied by the Safe Water Committee (SWC). The major focus of community development efforts in the community is concentrated on the development and support of this SWC. 

The Three Key Community Development Components are:

1- The Community Mobilization
2- The Safe Water Committee Trainings
3- The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion. WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) leadership.

Once community equity is confirmed,  Water Mission International (WMI)  brings in water treatment equipment specifically designed for the community. Operators chosen by the SWC and community members will assist in the installation. Once installed, WMI conducts a detailed operator training, including pump controls, filter backwashing, chlorine disinfection adjustment, residual chlorine level testing and daily operator log documentation. After successful equipment installation, operator training and confirmation of functioning SWC, the water system is commissioned.
At this point, safe water flows for the community.

The sustainable community development plan:
Equipment and construction are the easy parts of the project. Community development requires considerable investment in the community by Misiones del Agua Peru’s indigenous staff. By community development, we are referring to the process of engaging community leadership, in order to form and train a Safe Water Committee (SWC). This committee will lead community ownership, project operations and financial management as well as equipment and mobilize volunteer leaders in water, sanitation and hygiene  (WASH) promotion. Community development also includes training system operators and engaging the entire community in health and hygiene education.
Since 2006, Misiones del Agua Peru has been  the service provider for over 45 community developments and disaster response projects throughout the country. 


Jay Cook
Water Missions International

Financial contributions: