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This project involves the acquisition and distribution of water filters in a rural area of Mexico, called Cabo Corrientos, south of Puerto Vallarta. The filters will significantly improve the health of the people of this area. Local health data indicate that there are significant health issues associated with the absence of organized water systems.
The water filters cost about $50 each and are effective for 50 years (potentially longer if properly cleaned and maintained); they serve individual families, groups of families, or small schools. They would be placed in areas that do not have clean water and are unlikely to have it in the future. The filters are inserted into a bucket and the local water is put into the bucket and is then filtered. They require no electricity and are easy to maintain. The water filters are made by a firm in Canada and have been used throughout the world, principally Africa and Latin America.
The other aspect of this project that makes it especially feasible is an-place distribution entity and the ease of acquisition of the filters from the Canadian firm (Sawyer water filters). The filters are acquired on a humanitarian basis, are significantly discounted from their commercial cost, and customs are either waived or are greatly reduced in amount. A local group, Fundacion Ahora es Tiempo de Dar, with the cooperation of the in-country Sawyer representative, identifies the recipients and makes the distribution. Distribution efforts will also be made by the El Tuito Rotary Club (within the Cabo Corrientes area), with the assistance of the local Municipality. Rotarians from a number of local rotary clubs usually participate in these distributions as well.
One filter per family or family group will be provided. The filters filter out the bad "bugs" but not heavy metals. The filters do need to be cleaned by back-flushing the sediment that collects from dirty water using the provided plastic syringe. No chemicals are involved and no energy is required. These will provide health benefits and/or save money since there will be no need to purchase bottled water.
Ray Swanson, one of our Rotary Members will be going to this area of Mexico in February 2017 and would like to provide these filters to these villages. The Foothills Rotary Club requests a $4,000 District Matching Grant, so that we will have a total of $8,000. $8,000 will provide 160 water filters. Our world service committee and club president is also involved in the project. Our club also did a survey and from the survey we collected, water and sanitation was our #1 concern collectively. Foothills Rotary Club has already committed $4,000 this project.
Addendum to Project Description (added after the project was signed)
Project completed.
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