Current Projects
Bolivia
The Cobol Water Project will provide a clean and reliable source of water to a group of three communities located in the hills surrounding the city of Cochabamba in Bolivia. The project’s design consists of a water storage system and a water distribution infrastructure designed to give hundreds of families a long-term supply of clean drinking water.
In addition, a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is being designed for Villa Oropeza. The construction of this WWTP depends on the completion of the sewage system that was supposed to be built by the government. EWB is in the process trying to acquire funds to purchase land for this WWTP and lower the estimated cost, as well as working with the government.
Kenya
The Maseno Hospital Water and Power Project is located in Western Kenya and involves providing a long-term supply of clean water and reliable energy to a small hospital. The hospital’s current source of water is an often muddy supply of municipal water, which is irregularly provided. The hospital sometimes goes months without water. Their only current alternative is a rainwater catchment system; however, rainwater runoff is usually unclean and short-lived during the dry season. The hospital experiences power-rationing periods two days a week and many unscheduled power outages, making it difficult to perform surgeries and carry out their mission.
Our team went to Kenya in early 2012 for the implementation. A new electrical project is currently under-way within our Kenya program, and we are seeking more volunteers to join this team.
Houston
We realize the importance of investing in our local community. For that reason, we are in the process of putting together a team for design of a rainwater harvesting system right here in Houston, TX.
Completed Projects
El Salvador
The Colonia Esmeralda Project, completed in the summer of 2007, gave the community of Colonia Esmeralda long-term clean drinking water for its nearly 300 residents and erosion control of the community’s only access road. Colonia Esmeralda, located on the southeast edge of San Salvador, is a community that emerged as a result of the Salvadoran Civil War when rural residents fled the countryside to seek the safety of the city. In 2007, EWB-Central Houston helped the community develop the public works infrastructures that they needed.
Nicaragua
The Bernadino Diaz Ochoa Project was a collaboration with the EWB-Rice Student Chapter. After three trips to Nicaragua over the course of 2 years, the EWB-Rice project team had the knowledge and expertise to design a straw-bale health clinic for the rural community of Bernadino Diaz Ochoa in San Juan del Sur. The clinic also needed a reliable source of power and water. Members of EWB-Central Houston traveled to Nicaragua in May of 2007 to implement a solar power system and a rainwater catchment system for the clinic. The clinic now benefits the many residents of the surrounding communities.
India
The India Project was one of EWB-Central Houston’s longest ongoing effort. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia triggered a tsunami that devastated the coastal regions of South Asia. In 2005, EWB-Central Houston began collaborating with other EWB chapters from across the U.S. to help rebuild the coastal villages of Andhra Pradesh, India. Through the course of several years, EWB installed solar power generation, rainwater harvesting, water wells, and water pumping stations for the many villagers displaced by the tsunami.
Uganda
Kizito Michael Waburoko, an optometrist from the Ugandan village of Bukhaweka, requested help from EWB-Central Houston in late 2007. As the Executive Director of the Bukhaweka Vocational Training Centre (BVTC), Kizito sought assistance and knowledge or his students. In his words, “Water is life. Without knowledge in computers you are cut off from the rest of the world. Kindly try to help the centre with the above two projects.” Our Central Houston Professionals chapter applied for and officially received the projects through EWB-USA. The well and solar power system were installed in 2009, and the rainwater harvesting system was installed in 2010.