Clean water is the key to most things in life. It literally keeps us alive; clean and healthy. For many of us, this is something we do not even think about as all we need to do is turn the tap on anywhere in our home. But for many, access to clean and safe drinkable water is a challenge. The number of people whom find themselves in this predicament is growing annually, but solutions are available. It simply takes money and knowledge.
On the East end of Roatan, in the municipality of Santos Guardiola and the community of Juticalpa. Juticalpa is just one such community where clean and safe drinking water is not accessible for all residents. Juticalpa’s 750 inhabitants, reside within 150 households and homes are located on hills and valleys in the jungle.
Currently, only half the homes have access to an average of 150 gallons of clean water every three weeks during the summer months. The rest of the community members fetch water in seasonal streams, collect rainwater, or buy water from tankers. It is estimated that in an ideal situation, a person needs 25 gallons per day according to the organization Engineers Without Borders. This would be approximately 18,750 gallons per day for this community.
The Rotary Club of Roatan, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Fair Lawn Sunrise (New Jersey, USA), intends to do something about this situation for this community. The Clubs have done their homework and raised the necessary funds to apply for further funding from the Rotary International Global Grant program. The application has been submitted and the Clubs are waiting for approval which would secure the remaining funding to be able to proceed with the project. The project would connect the 50 per cent of households, the school and church without access to the existing system. By drilling a new well, installing a solar-powered pumping system, establishing a solid water distribution system and providing the community with the education to maintain the new infrastructure, the entire community will have access to clean water for many years to come.
Mike Wittry, the Rotary Club of Roatan’s Foundation Chair, is Co-Chairing the project with Beverly Herman-Rivera from the Fair Lawn Sunrise Rotary Club. If the grant application is approved, the Rotary Clubs hope the work will commence this fall and will last upwards of eight months.
When news of this project was released to the residents of Juticalpa, the jubilation was obvious. The community, led by Juticalpa Water Board President, Henry Zelaya, hosted an event with the Rotary Club of Roatan and the visiting Fair Lawn Sunrise members, to show their gratitude for taking on this project.
As soon as a response on the Rotary International Global Grant has been rendered, further announcements and details will be released.