The Guaimaca Water Purification Project was accepted by EWB-USA in 2009. The project was a collaboration of EWB-Boston, the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation, St. Rose of Lima Parish- Guaimaca, the Esperanza y Fe Water Board, community residents, and the Mayor’s Office of Guaimaca. The primary objective was to improve the quality and quantity of potable water systems in the region of Guaimaca (15,000 population), specifically the three small towns of La Calona, Maraquito, and Aquacatillo. Having a total combined population of 60 households and 306 individuals, these communities are located next to the Jalan River, which flows downstream from Guaimaca to the villages.

The initial Assessment Trip was conducted in May 2009 with health surveys, water samplings, and meetings with villagers and town officials. EWB-Boston worked with residents to find an efficient affordable, and sustainable solution that would deliver clean, reliable water 24 hours per day while minimizing pumping costs and allowing for future expansion. The proposed system included a new water source, pump house, storage tank, and distribution lines to serve the three villages on the outskirts of Guaimaca.

Implementation commenced in August 2012 with the construction and installation of a deep well and pump house, 10,000 gallon storage tank, and 4,500 meters of distribution piping. In order to access the system, local residents were required to work at least 40 hours on the project. The structural portion of the project was completed in December 2013 with the provisioning of water-on-demand in Maraquito and Aquacatillo (metered connections to 39 households). A flat usage tariff was assessed monthly with a penalty fee for overuse. This billing system was put in place to fund system operations and maintenance.

The Final Implementation Trip occurred in August 2014, at which time system maintenance checks were conducted, in addition to training and water quality sampling and testing. Lastly, the water system was officially transferred to the newly elected community water board. A final Post Implementation and Monitoring Trip was carried out in February 2016.