Drinking water for the indigenous communities in the Biosphere and Indigenous Territory Pilón Lajas in the Bolivian Amazon

After the successful drinking water project in San Luis Grande in 2010 we are commited to support other communities in the Biosphere and indigenous territory Pilón Lajas, Bolivia.

Introduction

The majority of the indigenous communities in the Biosphere and Indigenous Territory Pilón Lajas in the Bolivian Amazon do not have access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation. Traditionally, the people in the area take their drinking water from small rivers, which in the past were crystal clean. But due to agricultural, mining and oil exploration activities in the upper parts of the streams just outside the limits of the biosphere, river-water is becoming polluted, loaded with sediments and unsafe for drinking. This is resulting in increased health problems, especially among children. Medical help is not readily available and during the dry season, when the water levels are low, canoe trips to and from the closest medical post can take more than 36 hours.

The governing body of Pilón Lajas, the Consejo Regional Tsimani Moseten (CTRM) assisted by the Canadian development organization Cuso, the German Development Service (DED) and others, has been analysing the water and sanitation problems in the region, resulting in a clear picture of the scope of the problem and a list of communities most threatened. The indigenous communities along the Quiquibey River appear to be among the most affected and threatened. During 2009-2010, Amazon Fund facilitated the construction of a drinking water system in the San Luis Grande community along the Quiquibey and this has lead the CTRM to request further assistance from Amazon Fund to construct similar drinking water systems in six other most needed communities along the Quiquibey river. Representatives of Amazon Fund attended a meeting in Rurrenabaque, Bolivia in June/July 2011 with representatives of Amazon Fund USA and CTRM and jointly agreed to support the initiative.

Proposed project

The proposed project concerns the construction and/or improvement of drinking water systems for about 500 residents of  indigenous communities along the Quiquibey river and within the Bioreserve Pilon Lajas. The location of the communities is presented on the sketch map attached.

 

 

 

 

 

Intervention Strategy

Phase 1: Preparation
Concerns a survey and inventory of the situation in each of the communities and to determine the best technical solution, the way the people of the community are organised and its capacity and willingness to participate with labour in kind during construction, operation and maintenance. During a participative workshop in each community the set up of a water committee will be discussed and arranged.

Phase 2: Design and planning
This phase concerns the design of appropriate drinking water systems for each of the selected communities and the drafting of a project plan with implementation schedules and cost estimates.

Phase 3: Implementation
The construction of the systems as a participative effort of the population of each community assisted and supervised by staff of Agua Tuya and CTRM. Includes training in monitoring and maintenance of the systems.

Phase 4: follow-up: operation & maintenance and monitoring
The proper functioning of the systems will be monitored over a period of about two years by staff of CTRM and Agua Tuya and coordinated by the Amazon Fund representative at Rurrenabaque. According to the requirements, this phase includes further training.

Costs
The costs to provide 8 communities along Rio Quiquibey with clean drinking water system is 50.000 euro.

How can YOU support this initiative !

• Support a community with 1000 euro.
• Adopt a familie for 100 euro
• Support a person for 10 euro

More information:
www.amazonfund.eu/potable_water_bo.html
www.amazonfund.eu/potable_water_san_luis_grande.html

info@amazonfund.eu
info@amazonfund.us

Donate to:
The Foundation Amazon Fund
Bank ING
Accountnumber: 4919775
Account name: Amazon Fund
Roosteren, The Netherlands
IBAN Number: NL64INGB0004919775
BIC Code: INGBNL2A

Donate with PayPal

Report Visit Bolivia june 2011
Early June of this year was a busy and productive time for our team. We were successful in adding two new members to the team. Carlos Soruco and Antoine Hanzen have volunteered to serve as advisers to our staff. Carlos is a lawyer with offices in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Antoine is an architect working for the World Bank. Carlos and Antoine accompanied me to Rurrenabaque where we met Fred Opdam from Holland and participated with him in a series of meetings with local officials.

Frans Cayo will serve as local project leader for any water development projects we will have in the communities within the Pilón Lajas Biosphere. Provided we are successful in our search for funding, Frans will conduct a survey of the communities in October or November so we can determine just what is needed in each of them and so prioritise the work of developing a source of safe water for each. It was agreed that we will ask Clemente Caymani, the Consejo Regional Tsimani Moseten (CRTM) to serve as a local partner for this work as well as for disbursement of funds for all work within the Biosphere.

Meeting between Clemente Caymani (Presidente Consejo Regional Tsimani Moseten [CTRM] of Pilón Lajas Biosphere Reserve-indigenous territory) and representatives of the Amazon Fund, June 2011.

 

Slide show water project San Luis Grande 2010

Location meeting 23e of April, drinking water project Pilón Lajas.

Grotere kaart weergeven

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