Household Water Filtration Systems

The municipality of Zona Bananera is in the Northern sub-region of the Department of Magdalena, which is located in a strategic location in close proximity to the Tucurinca River, the Caribbean coast, and the foothills of the mountainous Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Magdalena has important biodiversity with eight different distinct eco-regions, pointing to the vital need for conservation of its land and water sources.

Zona Bananera has an area of 47,971 hectares and a population 57,004. 43% of the families in the project’s target communities, 16 de Julio, Sevilla, Los Cocos, and Palomar, do not have basic sanitation. Families’ incomes are primarily derived from subsistence level banana production on 1-2 hectares of land that is sold to larger intermediaries. These rural families present high level of unmet basic needs (43.14 % at this poverty level) and FUNDAUNIBÁN is one of the few actors seeking to address the population's basic needs.

Current status

This project is part of FUNDAUNIBÁN's "Healthy Homes" program, which is an integral community development initiative targeted at the families of small-scale banana producers in the communities of 16 de Julio, Sevilla, Los Cocos, and Palomar in the municipality of Zona Bananera, Department of Magdalena. In these communities, there is widespread prevalence of gastro-intestinal diseases due to the lack of potable water and basic sanitation and high levels of unmet basic needs. According to the standard of unmet basic needs set by the Colombian government,
43.14 % of the population meets this level of extreme poverty.

FUNDAUNIBÁN has already installed 150 household water filtration systems in neighboring communities in the Zona Bananera. The project will build upon this experience, allowing this proven model to reach an additional 125 families who currently do not have potable water.

In this project, FUNDAUNIBÁN will use a low-cost technology developed in Colombia that it has subsequently adapted and improved. The water filter is an apparatus made of porous material and active carbon, which allows for the purification of water coming from piped systems or wells, which are four to five meters in depth and deliver water through faucets. When the water passes through the filter, the potentially toxic or unhealthy particles are trapped. These include sand, mud, dust, iron, and high amounts of chlorine and bacteria, among other things.

The project will include three components: 1) Planning and management; 2) Training and 3) Execution and maintenance. In the planning stage, FUNDAUNIBÁN will identify the households that are to participate and conduct a baseline of these families. The following activities will then be implemented:

- Purchase of the materials for the construction of the water filters
- Installation of the water filters for the 125 families
- Organization of five training workshops to raise families’ awareness about the proper use and maintenance of the water filters
- Follow-up and ongoing assistance with the use of the filters
- Elaboration of narrative report on water consumption and use of the filters
- Participatory evaluation of the project

125 rural families (approximately 625 people) in the banana-growing region of the Department of Magdalena will gain access to potable water through the installation of household filtration systems. Children, families and the greater community will have more humane and dignified health and hygenine conditions through access to basic sanitation and potable water.

Goals

• 625 individuals will have potable water
• Families trained on management and care of water
• Families trained on how to maintain filtration systems
• 50 community members will form a monitoring committee
• 25% reduction in gastro-intestinal diseases in target group

This project's sustainability will be ensured by both by FUNDAUNIBÁN's ongoing presence in the target communities and beneficiary families' vital role in the maintenance of the filters. FUNDAUNIBÁN will organize five workshops to provide training on the proper use and care of water filters. Families will be responsible for the maintenance of their household filtration systems. In addition, a community oversight committee will be formed to support ongoing management and technical assistance following the six month period of project implementation. FUNDAUNIBÁN will provide training for the oversight committee so that they are prepared to become responsible for the ongoing monitoring of the water project.

FUNDAUNIBÁN will continue to be present in the target communities because this project to facilitate access to potable water is part of its integral community development project that involves house, sanitation, capacity building, and the sustainable management of natural resources.
Established in 1987, FUNDAUNIBÁN’s mission is to design and execute quality of life improvement programs for banana-producing communities and agro-industrial regions in Colombia.

FUNDAUNIBÁN implements activities in the fields of housing and community infrastructure; formal education; environmental sustainability and conservation of natural resources; capacity building to promote citizen participation and self-determination; and economic development focused on training, technical assistance, and credit to microenterprises, cooperatives and family businesses. The four methodological principles of participation, community-led management, collaboration and inter-institutional coordination guide FUNDAUNIBÁN's work.

Although FUNDAUNIBÁN always seeks to empower community members to take ownership of the projects aimed at improving their quality of life, its ongoing commitment to the target communities will allow for impact evaluation. This will include tracking the effects of the household water filtration systems on the reduction of gastro-intestinal diseases for which a target 25% decrease has been set.