Water & Sanitation Projects

One of the biggest problems in the world is the dearth of potable water systems and toilets in many villages and communities especially those in the developing world.

To help alleviate this grave public health risk, Green Mindanao Association Inc. (GMAI) planned for and implemented four major Water and Sanitation projects from Aug 1, 2000 to March 31, 2015.

These were jointly funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Development of the Federal Republic of Germany and the health focused NGO German Doctors eV. at a cost of almost 30 Million PhP or USD 680,000 (conversion 1 USD = 44 PhP, the median rate for project duration). The projects benefitted 2,807 households and 13,877 individuals.

This gives us a per household cost of about PhP 10,000 and per capita cost of roughly PhP 2,000 for a life changing intervention.

Project Concept

Potable water systems and communal toilets would be constructed in the selected project sites. Sustaining mechanisms would also be established.

Project Objectives

1. Construct potable water systems in the selected sites;

2. Construct communal toilets;

3. Establish sustaining mechanisms.

The project sites were chosen based on their socio-economic profiles. These were mainly among the poorest baranggay (villages) in the Municipality of Magsaysay in the province of Misamis Oriental plus one village each in Surigao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte. All of these did not have potable water systems and many households there did not have toilets.

The Potable Water Systems

The water systems were mostly gravity fed; water sources with elevations higher than those of the distribution areas were used so that water would flow down the pipes towards the distribution areas or the households without using power/electricity.

However, some project sites had water sources that were lower than the distribution areas. There were no other sources. Electric pumps were installed to bring the water up the pipes toward the houses.

Each house did not have a faucet though. The water sources’ discharges could not support having a faucet in each house. Instead, faucets were put up such that one faucet would serve several households.

Sustaining Mechanisms

These consisted of organizing household Water Users Association and the baranggay (village) Local Government Unit (LGU). The Water Users Association consisted of households that had access to the water system. These were formally organized with officers elected. Each household contributed to the association fund meant to maintain the water system. The amount was agreed upon by the members. Selected members were trained on basic maintenance of water system parts.

At first, we thought this was enough. But we noticed that the baranggay LGU wanted to participate, since water systems are critical infrastructure. We thus devised a mechanism by which the Water Users Association and the baranggay LGU worked together. The baranggay LGU also contributed to the maintenance fund. This was a synergistic arrangement. And it worked.

The toilets

Many houses in the project sites did not have toilets. People defecated in the open. To improve health of the villages we constructed communal toilets. Project funds were just enough to construct communal toilets, not individual toilets for each house. The toilets were designed in such a way that the materials were readily available and that these were easy to maintain. The design was done by two architects, whom we consulted, and one of them had worked in Africa in community development projects. The usual Western water sealed design could easily clog up if solids were flushed down and it was difficult to repair. The design was simplified.

In Water Project 1, we constructed the toilets on a turn key basis; we constructed the toilets and turned these over to the community. But we realized that the people were not maintaining the toilets. The beneficiaries must have thought that as we gave them the toilets we should also maintain these for them. But that was not what we envisioned. The concept was we gave them the toilets and they should maintain these.

In the succeeding projects, we made sure that the beneficiaries were involved in the construction of the toilets and that they contributed something, even just labor in the diggings for the septic tanks. They developed a sense of ownership and maintained the toilets.

Outcome

The Projects benefitted 2,807 households with 13,877 people.

This gives us per household cost of about PhP 10,000 and per capita cost of PhP 2,000.

People in the water project sites now have easier access to drinking water; they do not have to walk far to get water. They used to walk for 30 – 45 minutes to get water; now they only have to walk for maximal 10 minutes. Thus, they have more time for economically productive activities which could increase their incomes. And their confidence for the local government was strengthened as they saw their baranggay officials work with Green Mindanao Association Inc.

During the project implementation it was noticeable for the communities that Green Mindanao worked openly in cooperation with baranggay officials. Satisfying the basic needs of people in the baranggays would not only directly help the beneficiaries but also make the state institutions be appreciated. This should protect the people from the xmachinations of anti-state propagandists.

At present all water systems are working and have been improved by the communities themselves.

Lessons Learned

1. Before you give something to people, let them ask for it first. The usual approach to helping others is to say “You need help. I will give you this.’ And then someone answers “Oh really? We need help? We don’t see any problem.” You have to talk to beneficiaries and see if they need something that you want to give. You have to show the problem and they must realize that what you are going to give is the solution. An example is the communal toilets. Some baranggay people did not think that toilets were necessary; they could just defecate in open spaces. But when we explained to them that open defecation leads to spread of diseases, then these people realized the need for toilets. We then constructed toilets with (and not for) them as we asked for their participation in the construction. That gave the toilets value and they maintained these. `

2. See to it that beneficiaries are involved in the project planning and implementation. Ask them to contribute something, even just their labor. This would give them a sense of ownership of the project. They will give the project more value and they will take care of the finished outputs even if you are not around anymore.

3. More than the water systems and toilets, a sense of empowerment was what we gave to the people in the baranggays. We made them feel that if they join hands and work together with their local officials, they could solve their problems. There was no need to run immediately to higher government levels to ask for help.

4. We believe that community empowerment was the most valuable legacy of the Water and Sanitation Projects.