EORM Chuaquisis Water Storage Project – Guatemala

Location
Chuaquisis, Sta. Maria Chiquimula, Totonicapan, Guatemala

Community Description
Chuaquisis is a sub-community of the municipality Sta. Maria Chiquimula located in the mountainous department of Totonicapan. It is 12 kilometers from the town center and 40 kilometers from the departmental capital.

The roughly 5,000 inhabitants identify themselves almost exclusively as indigenous Mayans, their primary language being K’iche’ and then Spanish. The majority work in various commercial and agricultural trades.

Access to water at the EORM Chuaquisis is intermittent, and a reliable and consistent source of water is required to satisfy the needs of the school for drinking, cooking, and sanitation.

Project Description
This project is to build a water storage tank at the school.

A tank will be placed on the roof above the school kitchen. It will function as a reservoir, filling when water is available, and utilized when water is in short supply.

The tank will be placed on the roof of one of the school buildings and supported by two concrete bases, one on the roof and one on the ground, and a column made of concrete and steel.

First, using a wooden frame, a trained mason will form a concrete base on the ground directly below where the tank will sit. Second, iron rebar will be set into the base to form the structure of the column. Concrete will then be poured around the rebar into another wooden mold. This column will support a second base constructed on the roof of the building which will hold the tank.

The process is a relatively simple one, the methods, planes, and materials of which are regularly used by the community masons who will be responsible for the construction.

Water Charity funds will be used to purchase the tank and the materials, which include rebar, cement, wire, piping, connectors, faucets, and valves.

The community will provide the labor for the construction of the support and the installation.

Project Impact
389 students will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Casey Velasquez

Comments
This project will provide a consistent source of safe water for the needs of the school. It uses locally- available materials and incorporates a technology that is commonly used in the area.

Dollar Amount of Project
$405.00

Donations Collected to Date
$405.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has been fully funded through the generosity of the Paul Bechtner Foundation.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Casey Velasquez of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Casey and/or those of other PCVs in the country of service.

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.