Niquivil Water System Project – Mexico

Location
Niquivil, Sierra Madre de Chiapas, Mexico

Community Description
Niquivil is the largest community in the eastern part of the municipality of Motozintla.  The town is located at an elevation of 9,200 feet on the border with Guatemala and is home to 220 families.

Unlike other parts of the Sierra Madre, at this elevation, it is not possible for people to grow coffee as a cash crop.  Most households grow vegetables, corn or potatoes on a small scale for their own use with surplus being sold.   The standard of living is very poor.  Since Niquivil is a border crossing, some households make a meager living by selling goods from Mexico to people in communities on the other side of the border.  Many families must depend on the money sent to them by a member of their family who is working in the U.S. as an undocumented worker.

Problem Addressed
Many years ago, the government built a large holding tank for the community and put in pipe to bring water from a creek up slope.  Unfortunately, part of the pipe was stolen.  The community of 1540 people has been trying to get by with only a ¾ inch PVC hose to bring the water to the tank.  This is very inadequate for the needs of such a large population.

Project Description
The project is to install hose to connect the spring catchment, where water is collected, to a water point in the village.

The town is located about an hour from Motozintla on a paved road.  The hose will be delivered to Motozintla and the people in the town will then ferry it to their community at their expense.  There are people with small trucks and the villagers can contribute a small sum for the gas.

This project will be completed quickly by the men from the community who will do the necessary work.  The hose will follow an established route from a functioning tank on the river to a functioning holding tank.  All that is needed is 3.4 kilometers of hose and residents will then be able to enjoy the improved quality of life that reliable access to water provides.

Tamara Brennan

Monitoring and Maintenance
The town will be responsible for the care and maintenance of their new hose.  If problems arise that they are unable to deal with, Tamara’s Sexto Sol office can be contacted and Water Charity would be happy to consider follow-up projects that might be needed.

Comments
This project is part of a series of projects that Water Charity has undertaken in the region in concert with the Sexto Sol Center for Community Development. Other projects in this ongoing effort to help some of the poorest people in Mexico can be found HERE – Sierra Madre Water Program.

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Michael and Carla Boyle, of Nelsonville, OH, USA.