Quarterly Program Report
Water and Community Development (ADEC)

To:  Bill Kramer, Program Director
International Rural Water Association (IRWA)

From:  Diana Cáliz, Director
Agua y Desarrollo Comunitario (ADEC)

Subject: ADEC Program Report -Copán Ruinas

Date: November 2009

The following is a detailed report presenting the activities executed by ADEC in the municipality of Copan Ruins.

January 2009
The ADEC program was presented to members of the Rotary Clubs of South Carolina, municipal authorities (Mayors of Santa Rita and Copan Ruins) and other organizations present in the municipality (SANAA, MANCORSARIC, NGOs).  A great interest was taken as to the water quality in different communities.

May 2009
A tour was performed to evaluate the water systems in the communities of La Laguna, San Francisco, San Isidro I y II, San Rafael, Barbasco, Agua Buena, El Porvenir I y II, Los Arcos, Choncó, Santa Cruz and Carrizalón where the Copan Ruins Rotary Club has worked.  The evaluations include a complete assessment of the systems (Bacteriological analysis of water, review of system components, organization and administration of Water Boards).

June 2009
The report of the evaluation of the water systems was presented, concluding a series of weaknesses in the physical structures of the Systems as well as the knowledge and organization, which is a great obstacle to ensure that potable water systems are self-sustainable and successful.

July 2009
Attended the fifth bimonthly meeting of MESAP (Environment and Production Sector Board), that strives to provide support in linking national and international projects in the area of MANCORSARIC (Commonwealth of Municipalities of Copan Ruins, Santa Rita, Cabañas and San Jeronimo).  ADEC was able to be included in the cooperating board, which means that ADEC will be included in the development of a strategic plan for the municipalities of MACORSARIC.  MANCORSARIC aims to coordinate and implement programs and projects that ensure the security of the population and protection of the environment.

August 2009
Interviews were performed to fill the position of Circuit Rider in Copan Ruins.

Also, a meeting with MACORSARIC (Commonwealth of Municipalities of Copan Ruins, Santa Rita, Cabañas and San Jeronimo) was attended to present the “Proposal: Management of Potable Water and Sanitation” that means to create a joint project to strengthen the local capacity with respect to potable water and sanitation in the communities.

October 2009
A Circuit Rider, Francisco Villela, was contracted in Copan Ruins.

We met with MACORSARIC (Commonwealth of Municipalities of Copan Ruins, Santa Rita, Cabañas and San Jeronimo) and achieved their support to establish an ADEC office and laboratory, which will be located 15 minutes from Copan Ruins in the municipality of Santa Rita.

The Circuit Rider program began functioning.

November 2009
ADEC was invited by MANCORSARIC (Commonwealth of Municipalities of Copan Ruins, Santa Rita, Cabañas and San Jeronimo) to develop an Annual Operational Plan for 2010, which is necessary for the organized development of the investment processes and directs the strategic guidelines toward the efficient implementation in the territory of MANCORSARIC.  In this meeting ADEC was presented to the organizations present in Copan and was received with much anticipation since the goal of MACORSARIC is to provide water of 100% quality in the communities of Copan Ruins, Santa Rita, Cabañas, and San Jerónimo by 2015.  Our program joins the requirements to accomplish a part of this goal.  The establishment of a laboratory where both chemical and bacteriological analyses can be performed created many expectations.  Due to the fact that the goals and the work area are so large a verbal agreement was made to request funds from other programs and institutions present in the area so that ADEC has sufficient resources to be able to expand in human resources and laboratory in order to be provide coverage to all communities that require ADEC’s services.  Soon reports will be provided concerning these negotiations.

Circuit Rider Program – Copán

Circuit Rider: Francisco Villela

Academic Level: Community Health Degree

Experience:    

Trainings Received:

Copan Circuit Rider Francisco Villela

October 5-9: C.R. Francisco was in Marcala, La Paz to receive training about the development of ADEC programs.  Specifically in the Circuit Rider program (chlorination, combined systems, taking water samples, bacteriological analysis, ceramic filters, and general assessments)

Chlorination Training

Combined Systems Training

October 12-16: A poll was performed in various communities of MANCORSARIC (Commonwealth of Municipalities of Copan Ruins, Santa Rita, Cabañas and San Jeronimo) in order to define the circuit of communities, with a priority on the communities previously mentioned by the request of the Rotary Clubs of South Carolina.

October 19-23: ADEC was presented to the communities of San Rafael, Barbasco, Estanzuela Boca del Monte, Ostuman, Rincón del Buey, Choncó, San Isidro I y II, La laguna, and San Francisco.

Barbasco	San Rafael
Boca del Monte	San Francisco

October 26-30: El C.R. Francisco Villela returned to Marcala, La Paz  to develop an operational plan in conjuction with the circuit riders of ADEC-Marcala.  In the next 4 months, the traning manuals for administration, chlorination and plumbing will be improved due to the fact that in Copan well defined framework is not present (Water Boards) and if they do exist, they are very weak.  In Copan Ruins the water systems are grouped in Central Boards which consist of a number of Water Boards according to the area.  ADEC also presented to these Central Boards, which are a great resource for ADEC since they define the work areas and can exercise better control in the communities.

Central Board of Ostuman: 7 communities affiliated

Central Board of La Laguna: 5 communities affiliated

Central Board of Choncó and Santa Cruz 

Communities attended by ADEC

Conclusions
ADEC has been received with great expectations, due to the growing need to have water of quality in the water systems of different communities of Copan.  ADEC with its innovative program of permanent technical assistance (Circuit Riders) has come to fill this existing gap in many health programs implemented in various communities.
The ADEC alliance with governmental entities like MANCORSARIC (Commonwealth of Municipalities of Ruta Maya, Copán Ruinas, Santa Rita, Cabañas and San Jerónimo) and other related projects, is a great strength that demonstrates that ADEC programs work to resolve the problem of water quality not in an isolated form but rather as a process that envelops the organization of Water Boards, maintenance and operation, trainings, constant monitoring, basic sanitation, health and hygiene that in the end contributes to the sustainability of the water system.