Well well dear readers, much has passed since my last post. I’ll begin with a roundabout explanation of the title I’ve chosen for this entry:
This past Friday a few of our team met with the director of the Musanze district branch of EWSA -pronounced ooh-wah-saw for reasons unknown- Rwanda’s federal energy, water, & sanitation authority. Though EWSA did allow us to view some revealing documentation illustrating the existing water infrastructure, the director himself proved about as helpful as Aquaman’s superhuman ability to commune with marine life in any typical human situation (not very). After hearing our aim of extending the existing pipeline to bring water to underserved residents of Cyanika, the director suggested EWSA, rather than EWB, preform the assessment and design the system. Of course he was happy to permit EWB to oversee the implementation and provide all of the funding. Clearly this is not how EWB functions and in no way accords with the tested principles of sustainable community development. Furthermore, EWSA, not Cyanika, would be the eventual owners of the infrastructure and though the director agreed to guarantee Cyanika residents long-term access to the water provided, he was careful not to go so far as to promise ownership of the water rights. Following a good deal of deliberation we were able to convince the director to concede responsibility for designing the system to EWB, so long as the design passed EWSA’s approval prior to implementation, and to support integrating community labor. However, he remained hesitant to relinquish the assessment and refused to budge on the issue of ownership.
Here is where the title comes in- based on the ultimatums proposed in the meeting with EWSA, our team was forced to make a preliminary decision as to whether pursuing an extension of the pipeline in partnership with the government is indeed in the best interest of the community, or if another solution might prove more prudent. The primary alternative under consideration is a series of communal rainwater catchment facilities that would also provide sheltered community-gathering spaces and foundations for future tap stands. Our team recognizes the view prevalent among Cyanika residents of the pipeline as a shiny symbol of modernity; nonetheless catchment offers some undeniably significant benefits. Firstly, like a pipeline catchment would dramatically reduce the need of community members to travel hours a day to gather water for at least 9 months of the year, thereby freeing that time up for other productive activities, and effective sterilization consisting of first-pass sedimentation and chlorination is simple and inexpensive. Secondly, the maintenance of prefabricated plastic tanks is very easy and cheap, and could be more than paid for by the fees charged for access to the water, even if this price were markedly less than what the citizens currently pay. Additionally, the surplus funds could be redistributed within the community either to bankroll further development projects or as stipends to purchase water during the 3-month dry season. Thirdly, conservation practices required for the successful use of rainwater catchment would serve as an ideal vehicle for water and sanitation education based on a curriculum developed and executed by EWB. Lastly, even if EWSA does eventually deliver the pipeline, in the case of potential water shortages or diversions Cyanika would remain in ownership of a sustainable, naturally renewing source of clean water as well as an economic engine. Therefore our team’s decision as of the current moment: Give me things that don’t get lost.
On a lighter note, the team spent the afternoon packing into Cyanika’s executive secretary’s car like so many clowns to visit the Mutobo Water Treatment Plant, a veritable arcadia of kaleidoscopic gardens, chattering brooks, and bathing African cherubs screaming ABAZUNGU! (Kinyarwanda for white people). Somehow, even the dung-dropping cows seemed perfectly picturesque. The sources for this plant are two springs, which percolate upward through volcanic pebbles and are protected by half-acre plantings of chromatic water lilies that towered over all of our heads (except perhaps the executive secretary who happens to be nearly 7 feet tall). The plant employs air stripping, aeration, and chlorination to produce water which our own tests have verified has no harmful bacterium, near 0 turbidity, and a pH safe to drink yet basic enough to kill cancer. Ponce de León would be proud.
This past Friday a few of our team met with the director of the Musanze district branch of EWSA -pronounced ooh-wah-saw for reasons unknown- Rwanda’s federal energy, water, & sanitation authority. Though EWSA did allow us to view some revealing documentation illustrating the existing water infrastructure, the director himself proved about as helpful as Aquaman’s superhuman ability to commune with marine life in any typical human situation (not very). After hearing our aim of extending the existing pipeline to bring water to underserved residents of Cyanika, the director suggested EWSA, rather than EWB, preform the assessment and design the system. Of course he was happy to permit EWB to oversee the implementation and provide all of the funding. Clearly this is not how EWB functions and in no way accords with the tested principles of sustainable community development. Furthermore, EWSA, not Cyanika, would be the eventual owners of the infrastructure and though the director agreed to guarantee Cyanika residents long-term access to the water provided, he was careful not to go so far as to promise ownership of the water rights. Following a good deal of deliberation we were able to convince the director to concede responsibility for designing the system to EWB, so long as the design passed EWSA’s approval prior to implementation, and to support integrating community labor. However, he remained hesitant to relinquish the assessment and refused to budge on the issue of ownership.
Here is where the title comes in- based on the ultimatums proposed in the meeting with EWSA, our team was forced to make a preliminary decision as to whether pursuing an extension of the pipeline in partnership with the government is indeed in the best interest of the community, or if another solution might prove more prudent. The primary alternative under consideration is a series of communal rainwater catchment facilities that would also provide sheltered community-gathering spaces and foundations for future tap stands. Our team recognizes the view prevalent among Cyanika residents of the pipeline as a shiny symbol of modernity; nonetheless catchment offers some undeniably significant benefits. Firstly, like a pipeline catchment would dramatically reduce the need of community members to travel hours a day to gather water for at least 9 months of the year, thereby freeing that time up for other productive activities, and effective sterilization consisting of first-pass sedimentation and chlorination is simple and inexpensive. Secondly, the maintenance of prefabricated plastic tanks is very easy and cheap, and could be more than paid for by the fees charged for access to the water, even if this price were markedly less than what the citizens currently pay. Additionally, the surplus funds could be redistributed within the community either to bankroll further development projects or as stipends to purchase water during the 3-month dry season. Thirdly, conservation practices required for the successful use of rainwater catchment would serve as an ideal vehicle for water and sanitation education based on a curriculum developed and executed by EWB. Lastly, even if EWSA does eventually deliver the pipeline, in the case of potential water shortages or diversions Cyanika would remain in ownership of a sustainable, naturally renewing source of clean water as well as an economic engine. Therefore our team’s decision as of the current moment: Give me things that don’t get lost.
On a lighter note, the team spent the afternoon packing into Cyanika’s executive secretary’s car like so many clowns to visit the Mutobo Water Treatment Plant, a veritable arcadia of kaleidoscopic gardens, chattering brooks, and bathing African cherubs screaming ABAZUNGU! (Kinyarwanda for white people). Somehow, even the dung-dropping cows seemed perfectly picturesque. The sources for this plant are two springs, which percolate upward through volcanic pebbles and are protected by half-acre plantings of chromatic water lilies that towered over all of our heads (except perhaps the executive secretary who happens to be nearly 7 feet tall). The plant employs air stripping, aeration, and chlorination to produce water which our own tests have verified has no harmful bacterium, near 0 turbidity, and a pH safe to drink yet basic enough to kill cancer. Ponce de León would be proud.
Hoping you all find your own fountains of youth,
Michael Salka
LIke a coin that won't get tossed
ReplyDeleteRolling home to you
Enjoying the blog, Migelito Gordito que no es gordito! Mahalo. Aloha.