🛀 Roatan World Water Day - 2019

Island view - water, water everywhere. 

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Friday was World Water Day. I saw several really informative articles about the effort some people in the world go to to get water each day. Compassion's blog was a people story and I liked that. I thought I would write a bit about water in Roatan, in the Colonia. Before I start, I need to make this disclaimer: this is only my understanding of what happens and what I have seen in my visits. I'm definitely not getting the whole picture.

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Roatan is an island. Everywhere you look you see water - seawater. Potable water suitable for drinking, bathing, cooking, and laundry doesn't come out of the sea. When it rains, barrels can be used for collection. But, since the rain comes seasonally here, depending on rain water is - undependable.  Saturday I went for a visit to see Arezzi and her family. I thought I'd show you a bit about how that family, and many others in the Colonia, get water.

Unlike some people in the world, this family does not walk for a distance carrying a jug to get water. I understand this was the case here about 15 years ago. A missionary friend, Henry Zittrower, was instrumental in making a change  so water would come to the individual properties. 

Arezzi's water comes from a well that pumps water from a depth of 350 feet. In Poly Carpo, the Colonia in which Arezzi's family lives, this well serves well over a thousand people so the water comes to different sectors on different days, for either the morning or the afternoon and families collect whatever they want or need from a pipe that comes to their property line. 

"Water Day" is an event and usually requires someone to be home to turn on the valve to begin to fill water containers, to exchange full containers for waiting-to-be-full containers, and eventually if all the water containers are filled, to turn off the valve - or not as often happens - resulting in a temporary stream of water running down the path. I always know when it is water day when I'm visiting since there is the intermittent stream from dumped laundry tubs and overflowing water barrels to step around.

Arezzi lives waaaay up there, so water coming to her house is pumped from the well a long way up. The water travels through white PVC pipes. Larry says it is hard to wrap his head around seeing pipes running along the top of the ground, or when buried, only a few centimeters under the ground. I have learned that those pipes are not to be used for handrails when climbing. I think it was some young children who told me this.

From the well, the water travels up a gentle slope, to the stairs (138 - I counted)

then up the not-so-gentle-slope to the three house community with Arezzi's being the upper most. 

Today was water day in the sector of Poly Carpo where Arezzi lives. This was the first water day in 20 days! Twenty days!  No typo! Usually, she gets water every 8 days but for some reason - she didn't know - there hadn't been water. Previously, there have been problems with the pump at the well, or the pump to pump from from the well up the hills. Maybe that was the reason again this time? We anticipate that this year will be a very challenging water year for people here as the rains that came in rainy season were well below average. 

Some of my kids told me that they didn't go to school a few days last week. I asked why, and was told that the school uniforms weren't washed so they couldn't go to school. Did you just sigh a big sigh??! 

Arezzi's husband, Victor, provides very well for his family.  Since water isn't available 24-7, it is collected in containers for use over several days.  This family has a large black tank for water storage, as well as 3 blue barrels for immediate use. The tanks take up much of the extra space outside the house, but the family does not run out of water. Families are allowed to collect as much water as their containers will hold for the cost of 250 lempiras ($13) per month so Victor gets the most he can for his money.

Victor has rigged up a wife and child friendly pipe system to fill his tank and water barrels.

The kids know how to dip water out for use for washing. There is no running water in the house. When Victor has work, the family has jugs of drinking water delivered to their house. 

I have asked people about using the water that comes through the pipes for drinking. The official word is that this water is purified. As the water sits in the tanks though, bug larvae hatch. One of my kids says that the water from the tank makes her belly hurt. And, there are lots of tummy aches. Purified water for drinking is a real problem. Carrying the full water jug along the paths and up the hill for a family is backbreaking. Many mamas make sure their kids drink water, but they cut back themselves with resulting kidney problems. This may explain in part why so much cola is consumed - maybe. 

Drinking water

This evening Arezzi and her oldest daughter will be exhausted after taking on a megapile of laundry. When Victor comes home from work, he won't need to dip deep into the barrel to get water to wash with. Each of the kids will be bathed. Meanwhile, as I have been writing this, I have enjoyed a glass of ice water. Larry has cleaned and prepared our vegetables for our meal. The toilet has been flushed. And a shower is anticipated. 

When I read various articles including the Compassion Blog about World Water Day - Risky Trek for Clean Water, it seems distant, and I am quite detached. However, Water Day Once Every 8 (or 20!) Days with Arezzi, vs Water Everyday Whenever You Want for Us is very near - we're within walking distance! Because of our friendship with Arezzi and her family, it is also very meaningful. It is real, and a part of living.