How We Do It

A typical drinking water system...

The drinking water systems we build are designed to last over 25 years, and are built to require minimal maintenance. We work closely with members of the community during the construction of each project, and we spend a good deal of time training a team of community members on maintaining their system. We require that this maintenance team of four to five people consist of at least two women. The impact of drinking water systems is greatest on women, and we feel it is important that they are very involved in the process of building and maintaining the system.

	A project begins when a community asks for APLV's assistance. We then meet with the community to assess the need and the ability of the community to organize and complete the project.
	Finding the spring The spring must have sufficient water flow in the dry season and be high enough above the community to allow a feasible gravity flow design. The spring is capped in concrete. Spring water is tested for fecal coliform bacteria at the beginning of a project as well as on a regular basis one the project is complete.
	Laying the pipe The trench from the spring to the community is a major piece of the work. The trench is 80cm deep and can be as long as 8 kilometers. Every family contributes equally to the work - usually about 30 days per family. PVC pipe, which is inexpensive and readily available, is used for all of the buried pipe.
	The puesto Water flows by gravity from the spring to a concrete tank built close to the community. The tank fills up continually from the spring and the community can use water when they need it From the tank, water flows through a distribution system to the tapstands, called "puestos".