Photo left, water sprays into the air as the first of three new drinkable water
wells is completed.
Photo right, Hondurans from the El Paraiso district gather to celebrate the
finished water well
that will serve the cooking, cleaning and bathing needs of approximately 200
people.
UTSA Center for Water Research assists in Honduras water project
(April 21, 2003)--University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Water Research (CWR) research associate Louis Manz recently traveled to Honduras to help dig three wells that will provide clean water for 200 residents in the El Paraiso district. The CWR has been involved with the project for the last three years and has provided assistance and equipment to locate well drilling sites and to test water and soil.
Manz became involved with the project through the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, and also enlisted the help of Living Water International, a company based near Houston that has provided training in drilling and maintaining water wells in undeveloped areas.
When Manz first went to Honduras to test water sources, he found that nine out of 10 wells he tested were very high in e-coli bacteria.
"We worked for almost three years to find the equipment, train volunteers and get the financial support to construct three water wells," said Manz. "We expect to complete about 17 more wells in different villages. Seeing the people draw fresh water from a well we built was one of the most exciting things I have ever done in my life."
According to a 600-page United Nations report, as many as 7 billion people in 60 countries could face water scarcity by 2050. Contaminated water claims about 6,000 lives a day including approximately 3,800 children under the age of five.
Manz and another group of volunteers, including Weldon Hammond, director of the UTSA Center for Water Research, plan to go back to Honduras in May to check water quality, well equipment and to continue training the local people.
For more information, visit the UTSA Environmental Geochemistry Laboratory Web site.
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© The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2003