Rainwater Harvesting in rural communities in Trinidad ...€¦ · Rainwater Harvesting in rural...
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Rainwater Harvesting in rural communities in Trinidad: Success stories and lessons learnt Background Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) involves the collection and storage of rainwater for reuse at a later time. RWH is a useful water source, especially for rural communities that lack regular access to a pipe or truck borne water supply. The Environmental Solutions for Sustainable Communities Project started in 2011, is still running and is supported by the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C), the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), the Water Resources Agency (WRA), and Ministry of Community Development as well as various Non-Governmental Organisations and the private sector. The project focuses on rural communities without a pipe borne water or otherwise reliable supply and is specifically focused on community centres and schools as these often double as emergency shelters. Project Objectives • To increase public awareness of the need for water conservation and the benefits of Rainwater Harvesting (RWH); • To train a cadre of skilled persons to install and service RWH systems; • To promote safe and hygienic water collection practices; and • To build climate resilience into the water sector in Trinidad and Tobago. Method Stakeholder meetings with local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) were conducted in order to identify communities most in need of a supplemented water supply. Communities were then engaged and community mobilisers, willing to assist with the coordination of workshops, were identified. Workshops were subsequently coordinated with the assistance of invested and dedicated stakeholders and community members were encouraged to attend the workshops, where they learned about safe rainwater procurement methods and assisted with the construction of the RWH systems. The training/RWH programme was supplemented with overall water resources management training consisting of four modules: introduction to water management, the sustainable community model, vector control, and water harvesting techniques. Project Outcomes Installations were completed at 18 schools, three community centres and an NGO facility. These sites were located in St. Ann’s, Toco, Moruga, Barrackpore, Mayo, Fishing Pond, Biche, Lopinot, and Guaico Tamana. Training for RWH system installation and maintenance was conducted in these eight communities. Workshops were not only geared towards maintaining systems put in place at schools and community centres, but also included general training on water resources management and environmental issues. A total of approximately 100 persons were trained in these workshops. In addition to this, entrepreneurship training was conducted in Moruga and Barrackpore in 2013, providing 10 to 25 persons with skills to continue building RWH systems in other areas as a business endeavour. Public education for the community and students was conducted at all schools fitted with RWH systems. Education campaigns included general issues surrounding water conservation, details on the RWH process, and the importance of Rainwater Harvesting. Over 3500 students nationwide benefitted from education campaigns. Targeting communities with a real need and desire to engage in rainwater harvesting is necessary in order to achieve high, active participation and continuity of the project. As many communities suffer from ‘project burnout’, working with community mobilisers within each area in order to establish a relationship built on trust can greatly assist in achieving objectives. Identifying the motivation of each community is paramount and creates opportunities for maximum engagement in Rainwater Harvesting. In some cases, the strong need for water security drives their engagement, while in other communities the interest is more driven by an entrepreneurial drive, strong ties to the land, a strong interest in conservation issues, or education. Establishing relationships with private sector organisations resulted in increased innovation for the design of the RWH systems. • A local company now produces an additional filter, referred to as a water catchment basket, which can be fitted to the top of the tank for additional filtration of collected rainwater. • A second company provided solar energy solutions for water pumps at three schools. Following up on the initial project period is important for continued success and product replication. Providing certificates upon course completion creates some additional motivation for course attendance and completion. The training was generally very well received. Participants expressed great interest in environmental issues discussed and often requested further training in related topics, such as recycling and community development. RWH training embedded within other water resources and environmental management training is therefore recommended. This training provided avenues for community members to supplement incomes by broadening their skill base. Lessons learnt Community engagement Targeting communities Engaging communities Partnerships Establishing relationships with private sector organisations Training Expanded training Provision of certificates Long-term sustainability Follow-up Entrepreneurship training Natalie Boodram 1 , Lena Dempewolf 2 , Lovaan Superville 3 and Dianne Wells 4 1,2 Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C), 3 National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), 4 Options Plus Acknowledgements The Environmental Solutions for Sustainable Communities Project was executed by the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST) in conjunction with the Global Water Partnership- Caribbean (GWP-C), the Toco Foundation, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Community Development, the Water Resources Agency and Phoenix Park Gas Processors Ltd, among other partners. The project was funded by the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) with additional contributions from the Phoenix Park Gas Processors Ltd. Photo credits: National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST) Cunjal Cunjal Government Primary School no longer closes due to a lack of water as a result of RWH installations. Fishing Pond The Fishing Pond Presbyterian School was the only school that opened its doors to students after a water main remained damaged for over one week. Biche Retrofitting with RWH systems has taken place in two households in addition to the completion of two new private RWH systems. Lopinot Café Mariposa has been retrofitted with RWH systems to assist with their home grown produce. Specific successes
Transcript of Rainwater Harvesting in rural communities in Trinidad ...€¦ · Rainwater Harvesting in rural...
Rainwater Harvesting in rural communities in Trinidad: Success stories and lessons learnt
BackgroundRainwater Harvesting (RWH) involves the collection and storage of rainwater for reuse at a later time. RWH is a useful water source, especially for rural communities that lack regular access to a pipe or truck borne water supply. The Environmental Solutions for Sustainable Communities Project started in 2011, is still running and is supported by the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C), the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), the Water Resources Agency (WRA), and Ministry of Community Development as well as various Non-Governmental Organisations and the private sector. The project focuses on rural communities without a pipe borne water or otherwise reliable supply and is specifically focused on community centres and schools as these often double as emergency shelters.
Project Objectives• To increase public awareness of the need for water conservation and the benefits of Rainwater Harvesting (RWH);• To train a cadre of skilled persons to install and service RWH systems;• To promote safe and hygienic water collection practices; and• To build climate resilience into the water sector in Trinidad and Tobago.
MethodStakeholder meetings with local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs)were conducted in order to identify communities most in need of a supplemented water supply. Communities were thenengaged and community mobilisers, willing to assist with the coordination of workshops, were identified. Workshopswere subsequently coordinated with the assistance of invested and dedicated stakeholders and community memberswere encouraged to attend the workshops, where they learned about safe rainwater procurement methods and assistedwith the construction of the RWH systems.
The training/RWH programme was supplemented with overall water resources management training consisting of fourmodules: introduction to water management, the sustainable community model, vector control, and water harvestingtechniques.
Project OutcomesInstallations were completed at 18 schools, three community centres and an NGO facility. These sites were located inSt. Ann’s, Toco, Moruga, Barrackpore, Mayo, Fishing Pond, Biche, Lopinot, and Guaico Tamana.
Training for RWH system installation and maintenance was conducted in these eight communities. Workshops were notonly geared towards maintaining systems put in place at schools and community centres, but also included generaltraining on water resources management and environmental issues. A total of approximately 100 persons were trained inthese workshops. In addition to this, entrepreneurship training was conducted in Moruga and Barrackpore in 2013,providing 10 to 25 persons with skills to continue building RWH systems in other areas as a business endeavour.
Public education for the community and students was conducted at all schools fitted with RWH systems. Educationcampaigns included general issues surrounding water conservation, details on the RWH process, and the importance ofRainwater Harvesting. Over 3500 students nationwide benefitted from education campaigns.
Targeting communities with a real need and desire to engage inrainwater harvesting is necessary in order to achieve high, activeparticipation and continuity of the project.
As many communities suffer from ‘project burnout’, working withcommunity mobilisers within each area in order to establish arelationship built on trust can greatly assist in achieving objectives.
Identifying the motivation of each community is paramount andcreates opportunities for maximum engagement in RainwaterHarvesting. In some cases, the strong need for water security drivestheir engagement, while in other communities the interest is moredriven by an entrepreneurial drive, strong ties to the land, a stronginterest in conservation issues, or education.
Establishing relationships with private sector organisations resulted inincreased innovation for the design of the RWH systems.• A local company now produces an additional filter, referred to as a
water catchment basket, which can be fitted to the top of the tankfor additional filtration of collected rainwater.
• A second company provided solar energy solutions for water pumpsat three schools.
Following up on the initial project period is important for continuedsuccess and product replication.
Providing certificates upon course completion creates some additionalmotivation for course attendance and completion.
The training was generally very well received. Participants expressedgreat interest in environmental issues discussed and often requestedfurther training in related topics, such as recycling and communitydevelopment. RWH training embedded within other water resourcesand environmental management training is therefore recommended.
This training provided avenues for community members to supplementincomes by broadening their skill base.
Less
on
s le
arn
t
Community engagement
Targeting communities
Engaging communities
PartnershipsEstablishing relationships
with private sector organisations
Training
Expanded training
Provision of certificates
Long-term sustainability
Follow-up
Entrepreneurship training
Natalie Boodram1, Lena Dempewolf2, Lovaan Superville3 and Dianne Wells4
1,2Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C), 3National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), 4Options Plus
AcknowledgementsThe Environmental Solutions for Sustainable Communities Project wasexecuted by the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science andTechnology (NIHERST) in conjunction with the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C), the Toco Foundation, the Ministry of Science andTechnology, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of CommunityDevelopment, the Water Resources Agency and Phoenix Park Gas ProcessorsLtd, among other partners. The project was funded by the Public SectorInvestment Programme (PSIP) with additional contributions from the PhoenixPark Gas Processors Ltd.
Photo credits: National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST)
CunjalCunjal Government PrimarySchool no longer closes due to alack of water as a result of RWHinstallations.
Fishing PondThe Fishing Pond PresbyterianSchool was the only school thatopened its doors to students aftera water main remained damagedfor over one week.
BicheRetrofitting with RWH systems hastaken place in two households inaddition to the completion of twonew private RWH systems.
LopinotCafé Mariposa has beenretrofitted with RWH systems toassist with their home grownproduce.
Specific successes
