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April 15, 2010 entry:
We have recently
encountered a problem with the water supply for the project (clearly
an important aspect!). After the pumping test, the samples that
we obtained were sent to a lab for analysis and the report showed that
the water is VERY hard and has excessive concentrations of magnesium
(likely due to the proximity of the San Cristobal volcano).
Arturo and
Dixon sampling the well water
Although the mineral
levels do not exceed the World Health Organization standards, they do
exceed the Central American standards. Therefore, CARE and
Amigos have decided not to use the water from the well without
treatment. So at this juncture, we are investigating the options
of treating the water (commercial water softening equipment being the
most likely) or drilling another well.
We will post updates on the project as the work progresses.
Please check in regularly to follow the progress of this exciting,
large scale project!
Please keep this important
project in your prayers and we try to alleviate to difficulties of the
people of the El Chonco community.
May 15, 2010 entry:
After determining that the
water quality from the first El Chonco well was not suitable for
consumption due to high mineral content we investigated treatment
options. Water softening is the standard approach for removal of
calcium and magnesium (the two minerals with the highest
concentrations). The cost of a commercial grade softening system
was $23,000 plus shipping and installation. A second treatment
option investigated was reverse osmosis which was even more expensive
- $48,000 plus shipping and installation. Both of these systems
require the disposal of waste water with high concentrations of the
removed minerals, which presented a further problem because there are
no sewers in the area. Waste water of such high mineral
concentrations would have a serious impact on the local stream.
Based on these factors, the treatment options were abandoned.
We then performed a survey
of wells in an adjoining area to see if we could locate a new well
site with a higher probability of suitable water. We found such
a site about 1.3 miles from the village and the property owner agreed
to donate a small piece of land (about 50 ft. by 50 ft.) for the well
and control house. Of course the land owner will benefit by
having access to the water. We started drilling the replacement
well May 5 and we are testing the water quality as we advance the
well. We are currently at a depth of 400 ft. with the water
table at 326 ft. below ground surface. Based on field analysis
it appears that the water at this location is suitable and a sample
has been sent to a laboratory for analysis. We plan to drill the
well to 450 ft. deep and will perform a final confirmatory analysis
before completing the well. Please keep this well in your
prayers as the project progresses.
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Cable tool rig at the new
well location |
Tim Shuette, a driller from
Illinois, helping Tomas make some adjustments to the rig |
June 13, 2010 entry:
We have completed the
drilling of the second well and the water quality appears to be good -
PRAISE THE LORD!! We have performed field analysis on the well
every 50 feet below the water table and had a laboratory analysis done
on a preliminary sample and all looks good. We drilled 450 feet
and the water table is at 326 feet, so we have 124 feet of water in
the well.
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Tomas and Arturo doing the
pumping test on the new well |
Ed and Linda checking out the
water from the new well |
While we were performing
the pumping test and cleaning out the well we invited the community
and the work team that was here from the US to join us to dedicate the
well to the Lord. Pastor Marvin fron the Reformed Lutheran
church in EL Chonco presided over the dedication, and Ed was able to
offer a drink of water to the community in the name of Jesus Christ
(Mark 9:41).
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The kids from the El Chonco
School came to thank us for the well |
Pastor Marvin and the
Deaconess at the well dedication |
The other MAJOR
breakthrough this past few weeks was the beginning of the trenching to
lay the pipeline. In all we will lay about 6 MILES of pipes for
the 234 homes that will have connections to the system. However,
in Nicaragua is seems like everything comes with complications.
We started at the well site and began trenching along the road to the
entrance of the El Chonco community, being careful to avoid the two
other water mains and a telephone line buried in the same corridor.
After trenching almost 200 yards in the rain, we were visited by a
Ministry of Transportation official who informed us that we would have
to cover the trench and put the pipeline elsewhere. We pointed
out that the water and telephone lines are along the road as well, and
he only commented that they were also in violation of the law.
So, we continued on two
fronts. First, the local municipal government is a participant
on the project, and they, along with the mayor of the community (both
who are of the Sandinista party, who is currently in power) are
interceding on our behalf to allow us to trench along the road.
Secondly, we moved the trenching operation to the upper end of the
project where the tank will be located (far from the public highway!).
Please PRAY that we will be able to work out this "hitch" in the
project.
The trenching is being
done by mission teams from the US as well as volunteers from the
community. They have organized themselves so that each of the
households who will be connected to the system will provide a person
to work one day every 5 weeks, which results in a team of 20
Nicaraguans each work day.
The team
worked hard at digging the trench -
4 feet
deep and 18 inches wide |
Pipe going
in the ground!!! |
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