EWB-USA-WPI 2015 Guatchtuq Rainwater Harvesting: Post-Implementation Report

Document 526
Post Implementation Report
Chapter: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Country: Guatemala
Community: Guachtuq
Project: Rainwater Harvesting
Prepared By
Aaron Pepin
Evelyn Grainger
Karen Orton
Brandon Clark
Lenna Quackenbush
Katie Picchione
Nikos Kalaitzidis
Sienna Mayer
August 16, 2015
ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS USA
www.ewb-usa.org

526 - Post Implementation Report Revised 09/2014
Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
© 2014 Engineers Without Borders USA. All Rights Reserved Page 2 of 22
Post Implementation Report Part 1 – Administrative Information
1.0 Contact Information (correspondence regarding report reviews will be sent to the
listed President, Project Leads, Mentors and Faculty Advisors)
Project Title Name Email Phone Chapter Name
or
Organization
Name
Project Lead Aaron Pepin ajpepin@wpi.edu (603) 689-
3869
EWB-USA WPI
President Thomas
Moutinho
tjmoutinho@wpi.edu (207)831-7011 EWB-USA WPI
Responsible
Engineer in
Charge
Rodney
Rookey
rodrookey@gmail.com (860)982-6567 Centurion
Waterproofing,
Inc.
Traveling
Mentor
Rodney
Rookey
rodrookey@gmail.com (860)982-6567 Centurion
Waterproofing,
Inc.
Additional
Mentor
Patricia
Austin
pat.austin@state.ma.us (508)792-7423
x204
Worcester DPW
Faculty
Advisor (if
applicable)
Laureen
Elgert
lelgert@wpi.edu 508-831-5452 EWB-USA WPI
Health and
Safety Officer
Evelyn
Grainger
egrainger@wpi.edu 845-249-8847 EWB-USA WPI
Assistant
Health and
Safety Officer
Sienna Mayer sjmayer@wpi.edu (603) 315-
7062
EWB-USA WPI
Education
Lead
Lenna
Quackenbush
lmquackenbush@wpi.edu (413)626-2966 EWB-USA WPI
Planning,
Monitoring,
Evaluation
and Learning
(PMEL) Lead
Karen Orton kcorton@wpi.edu (719) 216-
6252
EWB-USA WPI
In-country
Community
Contact
Alvaro Cal
Lopez
Alvaro.ck@hotmail.es Unknown CeCEP
In-country
NGO Contact
Sucely Ical
Lem
cecep@intelnet.gyt (502)7950-
4039
CeCEP
In-country
Local
Government
Contact
Julio Romeo
Suram Chun
cecep@intelnet.gyt (502)7950-
4039
Municipalidad
de San Cristóbal

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
2.0 Travel History
Dates of Travel Assessment or
Implementation
Description of Trip
7/20/2010 - 8/03/2010 Assessment This first trip consisted of
meetings with the community
members and town officials.
Health surveys and water
quality samplings were
conducted.
7/23/2011 - 08/07/2011 Assessment Collected more data on water
consumption, existing
rainwater harvesting
practices, and developed a
memorandum of
understanding with the
community
12/31/2012 - 1/10/2013 Implementation Pilot implementation of
rainwater harvesting systems
on two homes, assessment of
homes for future
implementation, and
established a monitoring
system
5/2/2013 - 5/15/2013 Assessment Assessment of pilot
implementation, health
survey and census of
community. Also, home
assessments for the next 10
homes and set up for next
two implementations.
1/2/2014 - 1/14/2014 Implementation This trip was an
implementation trip that was
funded by an EPA grant.
Therefore there are no official
EWB reports. Implemented at
2 homes and re-assessed 8
homes for future
implementation. Also, further
monitored project success.
5/8/2014 – 5/25/2014 Implementation Implemented on 8 homes in
the community, conducted
water quality tests, conducted
family interviews and
assessed the remaining
homes for implementation.
1/3/2015 – 1/11/2015 Assessment Verified Home Designs and

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
MOUs with the remaining 22
homes in the community.
Visited Construction Stores to
get quotes for the quantity of
materials needed for the
planned May implementation.
5/9/2015 – 5/25/2015 Implementation Completed implementation of
the rainwater harvesting
systems on the remaining 22
homes in the community.
Continued with water quality
testing and ongoing
monitoring.
3.0 Travel Team
# Name E-mail Phone Chapter Student or
Professional
1 Aaron Pepin ajpepin@wpi.edu (603)
689-3869
EWB-USA
WPI
Student
2 Lenna
Quackenbush
lmquackenbush@wpi.edu (413)
626-2966
EWB-USA
WPI
Student
3 Evelyn Grainger egrainger@wpi.edu (845)
249-8847
EWB-USA
WPI
Student
4 Brandon Clark bclark2@wpi.edu (508)
455-8864
EWB-USA
WPI
Student
5 Sienna Mayer sjmayer@wpi.edu (603)
315-7062
EWB-USA
WPI
Student
6 Karen Orton kcorton@wpi.edu (719)
216-6252
EWB-USA
WPI
Student
7 Rodney Rookey rodrookey@gmail.com (860)
982-6567
EWB-USA
WPI
Professional
8 Laureen Elgert lelgert@wpi.edu (508)
450-3313
EWB-USA
WPI
Professional
4.0 Health and Safety
4.1 Incident Reports
Did any health or safety incidents occur during this trip? ___Yes _X_No
5.0 Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
5.1 Canceled/Non-functioning Projects
Has the status of any of this program’s past-implemented projects changed to
Canceled or Non-functioning? ___Yes _X_No

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
5.2 Is the updated version of the 901B – Program Impact Monitoring Report included
with this report? _X_Yes ___No
5.3 Is the signed Final 903 - Implementation Agreement included as an
appendix to this report? _X_Yes ___No
6.0 Budget
6.1 Project Budget
6.2 Professional Mentor Team Hours
Name(s) of Professional Mentor(s) Pre-trip
hours
During trip
hours
Post-trip
hours
Total Hours
1. Rodney Rookey
2. Laureen Elgert
7.0 Project Discipline(s): Check the specific project discipline(s) addressed in this report.
Check all that apply.
Water Supply
____ Source Development
_X__ Water Storage
_X__ Water Distribution
____ Water Treatment
____ Water Pump
Sanitation
____ Latrine
____ Gray Water System
____ Black Water System
Structures
____ Bridge
____ Building
Civil Works
____ Roads
____ Drainage
____ Dams
Energy
____ Fuel
____ Electricity
Agriculture
____ Irrigation Pump
____ Irrigation Line
____ Water Storage
____ Soil Improvement
____ Fish Farm
____ Crop Processing Equipment
Information Systems
____ Computer Service
8.0 Project Location
Latitude: -90.494921 W
Longitude: 15.372468 N
9.0 Project Snapshot for Publicity
9.1 Problem identification (one sentence)
The problem identified by the community of Guachtuq is lack of water security
faced by the thirty-four families.
9.2 Project goal (maximum three sentences)

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
The goal of this project is to ensure each family in Guachtuq has adequate
quantity, quality, and access to water. This is achieved through the
implementation of individualized rainwater harvesting systems at each home.
Additionally, it is crucial to effectively transfer construction and maintenance
knowledge in order to ensure long term project success.
9.3 Project status (maximum 100 words)
On this trip, the travelers conducted monitoring on previously implemented
systems in the community through family interviews and water quality testing.
The team also completed implementations on the remaining 22 homes in the
community, finishing the planned implementation phase for this project. The
next step for this project will be to work towards the planned monitoring trip in
May 2016, which could be the final trip for the project.

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
Post Implementation Report Part 2 – Technical Information
1.0 Executive Summary
This is the post-trip report for the Engineers Without Borders-USA Worcester Polytechnic
Institute (EWB-USA WPI) May 2015 Implementation Trip for the Guachtuq Guatemala
Rainwater Harvesting project, #6871.
The goal of this project is to achieve water security defined as adequate quantity, quality, and
access to water to meet the needs for each of the 34 families in Guachtuq, Guatemala by
constructing individualized rainwater harvesting systems. This goal was accomplished on the
past trip as the EWB-USA WPI team constructed the final 22 rainwater harvesting systems in the
community.
Guachtuq is a rural community of about 220 people, located on the outskirts of the San Cristobal
Verapaz Municipality in the Alta Verapaz department of Guatemala, a mountainous region in the
center of the country. Many community members exclusively speak Pokomchi, an indigenous
Mayan language, although some are also able to speak Spanish. The 34 families are dispersed
over 1 km on a dirt road that leads up a mountain; there is approximately a 500 ft elevation
difference over the length of the community. During the dry season, January through April, the
community historically has relied on a single communal water basin, known locally as the finca,
located approximately 1 km downhill from the center of the community. Women and children
often spend 4-6 hours collecting water each day, walking up and down the steep slope. Socio-
economic tension surrounds use of the finca, since the water source is located on a nearby private
farm. All community members participating in this project have signed final MOU contracts with
EWB-USA WPI.
EWB-USA WPI began partnering with Guachtuq in 2009 when the community presented its
concerns to EWB-USA. Past assessment trips in 2010 and 2011 determined that this project
should focus on achieving water security. The team worked with the community to identify
individual rainwater harvesting systems as the most technologically and culturally appropriate
solution due to geology, community layout, personal finances and the informal nature of
community membership. EWB-USA WPI developed a relationship with El Centro Comunitario
Educativo Pokomchi (CeCEP), a non-governmental organization that provides cultural
information, translators, a work space, and communication with the community when the team is
not in Guatemala. Systems have been iteratively engineered beginning with two pilot systems
constructed in January 2013. Based on feedback from an assessment trip in May 2013, two
additional pilot systems were built in January 2014 to test new designs, including the “first
flush.” Protocols for system maintenance were established and tested when eight more systems
were built in May 2014. The scope of the project was finalized in May 2014 with assessments at
each of the remaining homes. In January 2015 the team confirmed system designs, materials
quantities, materials transportation, community involvement, and all other logistics necessary to
complete the implementation phase of this project. The community has then completed the
construction of the final 22 rainwater harvesting systems in May 2015.

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
The implementation of the 22 rainwater harvesting systems took place in five phases: Phase I:
Preliminary Data and Preparations, Phase II: Concrete Base Construction, Phase III: Materials
Transport for System, Phase IV: System Construction and Education, Phase V: Wrap-up. Phase I
was completed as planned, with the team verifying that each home had their preparations
completed and had representatives selected to assist with the construction. The travelers were
also able to conduct preliminary water quality tests and monitoring on existing systems in the
community. Phase II was delayed due to a late delivery of materials and tools needed for the
construction of concrete bases. However the construction teams of community members and an
EWB-USA WPI traveler were able to work with less resources for part of the day and complete
the concrete bases earlier than anticipated. Phase III was concurrent with Phase IV and Phase V.
The main materials supplier used for all of the gutters, PVC materials, and tools, was short on
stock and late with trucks for each delivery. While this did cause the process used to construct
the systems to be slightly out of order at select houses, it did not adversely affect the completion
of any of the systems. The systems were completed a full day earlier than expected in the
original itinerary. Phase IV was skewed due to the conflicts encountered in Phase III. However,
each construction team was able to work with what they had available to them at the time and
continue to work through their assigned houses. Each houses construction was therefore phased
differently, and many teams had to move on to another home and then later return to the first
homes for completion. This resulted in the majority of the individualized education being
completed at the end of the trip in Phase V. The final community meeting was used to cover
most of the Phase 5 topics, and included the mayor of the local municipality as a guest.
Some of the homes in the community changed slightly after the assessment trip in January 2015.
These differences, based on structural home changes, were accounted for and the designs were
altered so that the systems would still be functional. Due to the differing designs at each home,
minor materials movement was needed to compensate for the changes. Significant alterations
made at individual homes are discussed in detail in Section 4.3 and the drawings showing the
implemented systems are in section 4.5. The general system design did not change while the
team was in country, and each of the constructed systems will function as planned and as
described in the previously submitted 525.
When the EWB-USA WPI travel team left the community at the end of the trip, each family
participating in the program had a functional individualized rainwater harvesting system. Each
system was completed to the satisfaction of the families living at the home and learning sessions
were held with the family. With the completion of these final 22 rainwater harvesting systems,
the planned implementation phase of the Guachtuq Rainwater Harvesting project came to a
close. As the club plans to move towards a monitoring trip in May 2016, there are minor system
improvements that will be discussed and possibly introduced to the community on that trip. This
would include the addition of unions on tank connections that would allow families to separate
tanks, clean them individually, and conserve water. This was a feature that was desired by a
significant percentage of the community. This is discussed in more detail in Section 9.
With the completion of this past implementation trip, the club will be looking to submit a 530
form in preparation for the planned Monitoring and Evaluation trip in May 2016.

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
2.0 Program Background
EWB-USA WPI completed two assessment trips in 2010 and 2011, where the team started to
form a relationship with the community members of Guachtuq. The team conducted in-house
assessments, held community meetings, and undertook water quality studies. In 2011, the team
conducted a community wide survey to determine a water consumption rate for each family.
Unfortunately, no trends emerged that related the number of family members to water
consumption across the community, so the team has since followed WHO standards for
determining water consumption rates. The team also thoroughly assessed the two homes
chosen by the community for pilot implementation. This included measurements of each home
as well as in-depth discussions of the needs of each family.
Throughout the project, one of the most important tools that the team has developed is an Excel
model to assist the team when creating the metrics for each system. Using a variety of
parameters, the model helps the team design systems to fit the specific needs of each family.
Considering average regional daily rainfall obtained from a local university, roof area of a home,
number of family members, and water consumption rate, this model can be used to determine
how many additional tanks each family needs to ensure sufficient water for drinking and cooking
throughout the dry season.
Using information gathered from the first two assessment trips, Excel model results, and nearly
two years of research and design, the team constructed two pilot systems during the first
implementation trip in January 2013. The goal of the pilot project was to ensure that the Excel
model worked properly and to provide a basis for future system design. Other benefits of a
small-scale implementation included developing methods for construction and beginning to
establish a knowledge base about constructing rainwater harvesting systems within the
community. In order to accurately determine if these pilot systems served the families
appropriately, a monitoring system was also established during this implementation trip. A
volunteer at CeCEP (El Centro Comunitario Educativo Pokomchi), EWB-USA WPI's partner
NGO, visited the community while the team was out of the country, collected preliminary
information on the efficacy of the rainwater harvesting systems, and received verbal feedback
from both families.
The team completed a third assessment trip in May 2013. The goal of this trip was to evaluate
the success of the pilot systems and assess homes for the second implementation. In addition,
a thorough census was conducted to gather demographic information about every family and to
learn general information about the community. Water quality tests were also collected at
various water sources throughout the community. The monitoring system established during the
January 2013 trip evolved into a bi-weekly survey that asked residents about their water
consumption habits. Follow-ups were conducted with the two pilot homes to ensure the systems
functioned properly and, most importantly, satisfied each family’s daily needs for drinking and
cooking.
The second implementation trip, EWB-USA WPI’s fifth trip to Guachtuq, took place in January,
2014. Though not an official EWB trip since it was funded by a grant through the EPA P3

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program, this trip was essential to the progress of the project. The team constructed two
rainwater harvesting systems, conducted water quality tests, held in-depth, semi-structured
interviews, established a connection with the mayor of the Municipality of San Cristobal,
developed stronger relationships with CeCEP and community members, and further assessed
the eight homes scheduled to receive systems during the May 2014 implementation trip.
Necessary details were also discussed with local hardware stores, water tank vendors, and the
Municipality to arrange availability of materials and plan for transportation.
EWB-USA WPI’s sixth trip to Guachtuq, the third implementation trip, took place in May 2014. In
under ten days, the team and community members built eight rainwater harvesting systems,
updated systems of previous beneficiaries, conducted two rounds of water quality testing,
interviewed almost every family in the community, met with the mayor of the Municipality, held
multiple community meetings, strengthened relationships with local NGO partner CeCEP, and
assessed the homes of the remaining families.
In January 2015, the club had an additional assessment trip in order to prepare the community
for the upcoming 22 home implementation in May 2015. This was done by confirming the home
designs with each family in order to be sure the compiled materials list was accurate. The
preparations in each family's MOU were also confirmed in order to be sure that each home and
EWB-USA WPI were on the same page with what the family was receiving and what they
needed to have completed before the travelers arrived. The team also worked with CeCEP to
locate and retrieve quotes for materials from various local construction stores for the quantity of
materials needed for the remaining 22 systems. They also talked with the Municipality of San
Cristóbal about the transportation of materials from the stores to the community. Furthermore,
the team strengthened ties with the community to ensure success in the May 2015
implementation. Additional time spent with children in learning sessions resulted in an immense
transfer of knowledge such that nearly the entire community has a basic understanding of the
construction of these systems.
In May 2015, EWB-USA WPI returned for the final planned implementation trip in Guachtuq.
Over the course of the 2 week trip, the travelers completed a wide array of water quality tests,
monitoring interviews and the construction of the 22 remaining systems in the community. An
extensive number of water quality tests were done on all of the previously implemented systems
in the community as well as many of the pre-existing systems constructed through other
community programs. Monitoring interviews were held with the families receiving a system on
this implementation trip in order to collect baseline data to measure the change that the
implementation of these systems had on the families. Finally, all of the systems were built by the
community members following the phased construction plan outlined in the previous 525.
The next step for the club is to prepare for a monitoring trip being planned for May 2016 to
ensure that each of the systems is functioning as planned.
3.0 Trip Description
On this past implementation trip, EWB-USA WPI completed 22 rainwater harvesting systems,
completed monitoring on 12 existing systems, and conducted interviews with the families in the
community.

Chapter Name
Community, Country
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Over the 17 day trip, the team was able to build all 22 planned individualized rainwater
harvesting systems in the community. This involved a phased implementation that worked
through each section of the system, going from the concrete base, to the gutters, finishing with
the PVC connections. The concrete bases were completed in one day, while the gutter and PVC
connections were completed in two and a half days. While the team was in country, a variety of
problems were encountered with the main materials and tools supplier which led to multiple
construction delays. However, none of these impacted the final completion date of the project.
After retrieval of the proper tools, all of the concrete bases were completed in one day, which put
the team ahead of the planned itinerary, giving them extra time to prepare for the next materials
delivery. The next planned delivery was of gutters, which would've allowed the community
construction teams to begin construction at the roofs and work down to the tanks. Due to a delay
in the acquisition of these specific materials, some groups needed to wait, or begin construction
without the proper lengths of gutters. The PVC connections at these affected homes were able to
be completed and connected to the gutters properly once all of the materials were acquired.
To continue ongoing monitoring and to establish a baseline for new systems, extensive water
quality testing was completed. Each existing EWB-USA WPI system was tested twice in
duplicate, some at different stages of the system in order to determine exactly how clean each
system was. Additionally, multiple existing governmental systems and the community water
basin, the finca, were tested in duplicate to create a baseline to be able to measure the change in
quality with the new systems. Inorganic tests were also carried out at the community water basin.
The results of these tests can be found in Appendix XX.
Interviews with each family that received a system on this past trip were conducted in order to
establish baseline data for each home. This will be used to establish a comparison with data
gathered on the planned final monitoring trip. Information gathered included current state of
water access in the community, amount of water the family used, and the amount of times the
family went to the finca to retrieve water among other general points of information. The
information found from these interviews can be found in Appendix XX.
With this trip EWB-USA WPI completed its planned implementation phase for the Guachtuq,
Guatemala Rainwater Harvesting project.
4.0 Project Summary
4.1 Project Description
The Engineers Without Borders-USA chapter at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (EWB-USA
WPI) aims to provide the community of Guachtuq, Guatemala with water security. The
community of Guachtuq is located in the Alta Verapaz region of Guatemala and is home to
about 220 Pokomchi (Mayan descent) people, among 37 families. Of the many problems they
face daily, a lack of water security was identified as their greatest concern. Water security can
be described as having adequate quantity, quality, and access to water to meet a home’s basic
needs. Currently, many families rely on a water source called the finca, a polluted, spring-fed
water basin located a half-hour walk downhill from most families in the community. During the

Chapter Name
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Project Name
dry season, which lasts from February to May, the finca often dries up, forcing families to find
other, more distant sources of water.
The solution that EWB-USA WPI has developed to mitigate the lack of water security in
Guachtuq is the implementation of individual rainwater harvesting systems with each home in
the community. This project is focused on implementing high functioning rainwater harvesting
systems, rather than simply providing tanks to increase storage capacity for families. This is in
contrast to other rainwater harvesting projects that the people of Guachtuq have experienced in
the past, namely governmental initiatives. With the help of an Excel computation model, EWB-
USA WPI calculates the necessary system requirements for each home determined by their
specific situation. The team determines the necessary storage capacity, gutter lengths, first
flush volumes, and overflow specifications based on parameters such as existing storage,
existing roof area, family size, daily consumption rate, and 30 years of local rainfall data. EWB-
USA WPI rainwater harvesting systems are designed to be closed systems that maintain water
quality and maximize rainwater collection and storage.
4.2 Summary
Five groups, made up of both students and community members, finished the implementation of
22 systems during the trip. Systems were designed and built specifically for each family, the
designs used can be seen in section 4.4. While each system was home specific, the same
components exist in all of them. These main components include a concrete base, gutters, a first
flush, PVC tubing, an overflow, and storage tanks. Materials for all of these components were
bought from local suppliers accessible by the community.
The concrete bases were made by first creating a wooden frame, the inside dimensions of which
are the desired dimension of the base. Then by layering rocks, rebar, and stones within a wooden
frame as aggregate and to add support, the base is then completed by pouring in ready-mix
concrete. Once the base has dried, cinder blocks and the storage tanks are placed on top.
Gutter clips were attached to each home to ensure that the gutter would sit directly underneath
the edge of the roof. Gutter clips were constructed by hand specifically for each home. Notches
to fit the colonial style gutters were cut into planks of wood which were then attached to wooden
rafters on the roof. Gutter caps, unions, and downspouts were bought and used in each individual
system as required.
The first flush is a vertical tube that is used to collect the first volume of water to come off the
roof. This first volume of water would contain any dirt/debris that would have collected on the
roof, so by collecting it before the tanks it reduces roof-sourced contamination in the drinking
water. Inside the tube is placed an empty water bottle that, as the first flush is being filled, will
float to the top. Once the tube is full the water bottle then creates a seal that prevents dirty water
from mixing with the clean water that flows into the storage tanks. The first flush is made out of
4'' or 3" PVC tube and the length is calculated based off of the roof area from which it receives
rain. Every first flush was built with a ball valve at the bottom so that the water could be
emptied after every storm. Each first flush was also supported by a stick or cinder block as
desired by the family.

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PVC tubing and connectors varied for each home since designs are individualized based on every
families needs. Tubing and connections for each home were planned out prior to the build so that
while the team was in country all that needed to be done was the cutting and sorting of tubing
and connectors. The connectors were sorted into sturdy burlap sacs by home in order to facilitate
transportation throughout the community.
Each system also contained at least one overflow. If the tanks begin to overfill, the overflow
pulls water from the bottom of the tank and removes it from the system.
To create a closed system, any openings were covered with mosquito netting. This included
gutter downspouts and the ends of overflows. Each joint in the PVC piping was glued, and each
entrance or exit to the tank was sealed by the use of threaded bulkheads.
Storage tanks that were used were 2500L Rotoplas High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) tanks
that have been used in previous implementations. Some families previously owned 2500L or
1700L Rotoplas tanks as a result of government projects, if this was the case for a home these
storage tanks were taken into account when calculating the number of additional tanks the team
needed to add to the home.
4.3 Difference Between Planned and Actual Implementation
There were many aspects of the implementation trip that did not go exactly as planned, however
the team expertly worked through the changes and still was able to finish the implementation
earlier than expected.
The first issue occurred when the main delivery of tools needed for the construction of concrete
bases from Construfacil was late. This delivery was not critical and the team was able to work
with existing materials from past trips to continue moving forward. This was not the only delay
due to Construfacil, as the team continued to experience difficulties with the store throughout the
entire trip. The main delivery of PVC materials and gutters was also significantly delayed. It was
originally intended to arrive on Saturday the 16th
of May and did not all arrive until mid day
Tuesday the 19th
. This delay caused the majority of the system construction to be held off until
Tuesday instead of starting Monday. This delay also caused the team to be short a student and
translator for multiple days as they went to resolve the issues in person.
Due to the material delivery delays some construction teams began earlier than others, and the
community member involvement became somewhat scattered. Many community members
would hear two different stories from different team members, meeting times and places were
changing almost constantly, and groups were often combined, adding to the challenge of keeping
men active and focused on the construction. Despite this challenge the team adapted and worked
day by day instead of just by phase, allowing more flexibility in the changing situations. EWB-
USA WPI members were approached by some community members who reported that others
were not working. The team advised the community members to encourage their neighbors to

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return since there was not other appropriate actions the team could take on short notice. This
resulted in the construction being completed earlier than anticipated.
There were multiple systems that were not implemented exactly as was originally planned by the
club. Due to circumstances such as home redesigns, the team worked to adapt designs to best fit
each family. These changes are illustrated for each home in Section 4.4 in detail. Below are
descriptions of each of the homes that experienced significant system design changes.
The design of house 10 was changed due to unforeseen alterations made by the family to their
home. Upon arriving at the house it was clear that the roof was no longer constructed as the team
had expected. Therefore the system needed to be redesigned to accommodate. They still
received the same number of tanks, as the overall roof area was similar to before, however the
piping and route to tanks was altered.
House 40 was designed to have all the gutters combined and feed into the first set of two tanks,
these tanks would then overflow into a lower set of two more tanks. However, due to an
unexpected inequality in gutter elevation, the plans changed. In reality the smaller roof fed into
the lower two tanks directly and the larger, higher roof feed into the upper tanks. The upper tanks
still overflowed into the lower ones, maintaining one closed system.
House 25 elected to not receive an overflow for their system. They would not accept a system
with an overflow and wished instead to use their first flush as an overflow if necessary. After a
discussion with multiple mentors on the feasibility of this changed design, it was determined that
this was acceptable that would not harm the integrity or functionality of the system when
coupled with the proper education.
House 2 elected to not use the roof over the kitchen, as the original plan stated. The orientation
of the tanks was also changed at the request of the family which can be seen more clearly in
Figure XX. Both roofs were connected to feed into the same tank, and the system overflowed
into an existing concrete tank that had not been originally included as part of the EWB system.
House 3 did not use the roof above their kitchen as was originally included in their designs. After
the team carefully analyzed the new system with a smaller roof area, it was determined that the
family would still have sufficient water, therefore the team excluded this roof from the family's
system.
House 6 added some roof area before the team arrived in country. As this change would only
give the family more water and not limit their access to water, the designs were changed slightly
to include more gutters.
4.4 Drawings
Technical drawings were created to account for each system component at every home. These
drawings take the general form of the system, shown in Figure XX and adapt it to every
individual home, providing a system specifically designed to best meet the needs of each family.

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
In the drawings red circles represent a first flush, blue lines represent PVC piping, blue
rectangles represent gutters, and the black arrows represent the slope of the roof. The technical
drawing for House 2 can be seen below, the remaining twenty-one technical drawings can be
found in Appendix XX.
4.5 Operation and Maintenance
Each family is responsible for the continued operation and maintenance of their individual
systems. As stated in the MOU signed by each home receiving a system, the family is
responsible for purchasing replacement parts if needed, and doing the work to repair them.
During implementation, a representative from the home receiving the system was usually
present, not only at their own home but also assisting with the construction of the other homes.
Actively participating in construction ensured that there was at least one family member who
was directly knowledgeable about the construction of the system and would be able to maintain
it without the presence of EWB-USA WPI.
In addition, members of each family participated in individualized education about their specific
system after construction was completed. This ensured that even if a representative wasn't
present during construction as intended, the family was still knowledgeable about their specific
system.
Learning sessions included information about maintaining their first flush, gutters, tubing, and
storage tanks. This included how to clean the gutters, first flush, and tank, how to maintain
mosquito netting and connections in the system, and the importance of separation of containers.
The community is familiar with working with PVC and concrete, the main material components
of the system, which lends to efficient construction and proper maintenance of the systems.
Payment plans were developed with CeCEP for each family. They know that they are required
to pay 5% of the total cost of the system within the next 12 months. All of the specific amounts
are found in the MOU's and EWB-USA WPI as well as CeCEP both have the payment records
for everyone who has begun paying which is shown in Appendix XX.
4.6 Sustainability
Though prior trips showed that the community had acquired tremendous technical,
organizational, and financial capacity for promoting the longevity and sustainability of the
rainwater harvesting systems, this implementation trip revealed three specific points that
needed to be addressed further: the ability to properly manage filters, find replacement parts,
and spread maintenance knowledge to every member of each family.
Filters
This trip revealed that most familys' cleaning habits resulted in torn filters, and that the filters
were potentially having adverse effects on the water quality. The existing method of cleaning the
filters was to scrub them with rags, but it was found that Roberto, the owner of one of the first
pilot systems, was able to preserve the filter by soaking it in chlorine instead of scrubbing it

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
harshly. Most families reported filters lasting between three and six months, but Roberto's had
lasted four years and is still functional. Because of this, each family was instructed to not scrub
filters roughly or use rags after their filters were installed. This allowed for increased longevity,
and therefore cost effectiveness, of the system's parts, which made it easier for families to
sustain a clean, closed system themselves. It was additionally found that while many community
members were willing to purchase new filters, they were not aware of the process of how to
order them through Rotoplas. The team will be working with CeCEP in the coming year to set up
a program where the filters are more easily accessible as is discussed in section 9 Next Phase
of the Program.
Repair/Replacement Parts
All of the parts to build the system were purchased locally, making it feasible for community
members to obtain replacements as needed. As was the case with House 5, the house of
Filomena Gualim, the sustainability of the system depends partially on knowledge transfer to
every member of the family concerning where and how to buy such parts. In order to enable a
separation of two EWB-USA WPI tanks, the connecting pipe was cut, and then she attempted to
reseal it with packing tape. This separation is desirable for the families because it means they
can use one tank to store the water while the other is being cleaned. The way the system was
cut, the elbow and associated male threaded adaptor needed to be replaced. It was discovered
that while Filomena was willing to buy a new elbow at its full price, she was not aware how to
repair it step by step. As a result, how to acquire and attach replacement parts in each section
of the system was addressed during the demonstration completed with the construction teams
before the PVC tubing was installed. Because the systems will not last forever, the reparation of
essential components is imperative to the system's sustainability without the EWB-USA WPI
team's constant monitoring. This was also addressed by being sure that members of the family
were present for the technical education so that the man assisting with construction was not the
only family member with complete knowledge of the construction of the system.
Technical Capacity of Community Members
Before construction of concrete bases began, the EWB-USA WPI team conducted a group
demonstration at House 34, the house of Maria Magdalena, walking through the entire process
and laying the wooden frame and rebar for a concrete base in front of the entire workforce from
the community. Afterwards, the construction teams correctly finished every base a day early,
indicating the community members' skill and attention to the learning sessions. Likewise, before
the assembly of gutter clips and the full network of gutter-to-tank, tank-to-tank, and tank to
faucet piping, the team conducted a demonstration of the entire system, using the completed
system at House 27 as a visual aid. The most impressive part of this demonstration was that
often community members would provide explanations to each other instead of asking the
EWB-USA WPI representatives, indicating a deeper understanding that will lead to better
maintenance of the systems. The gutters, tubing and connections were completed in 2 1/2 days,
twice as fast as expected.
After the completion of each new system, EWB-USA WPI members performed a learning
session on water quality management, system maintenance, and system design at each house
with members of the family present. While the families were being educated, the travelers used
an education booklet designed with intuitive pictures shown in appendix XX that match their
cultural norms and local imagery. In some learning sessions, family members, especially
children acted as translators, exhibiting that they were extremely knowledgeable about the
functionality and maintenance of the system. During the final community meeting, these
maintenance practices were covered in full once more in front of the entire community as

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
reinforcement. These sessions allowed for more widespread and consistent knowledge on the
sustainable use and maintenance of the systems.
5.0 Photo Documentation
6.0 Lessons Learned
Always be flexible and ready to change plans if necessary
Even though the team spent hours ahead of time making a schedule that would allow the
trip to run effortlessly, plans changed. Team members were missing to deal with unexpected
issues, materials were late, and various other schedule changes occurred. However, the team was
flexible and willing to change plans when necessary, allowing the trip to continue to move
forward. Plans rarely go as a team hopes and therefore it is important to remain flexible and to
continue moving forward towards reaching the original goals even when the schedule changes.
Have access to a vehicle to reduce travel time to and from the community when necessary
This implementation was constantly active and the travel team did not have much, if any,
free time. The access to a vehicle, provided by a member of our NGO, was vital many days to
starting on time in the community and transporting heavy tools and equipment to the community.
Some days the extra half an hour saved walking each way to the community was significant.
Sometimes there is no alternative but to go meet in person
Through multiple materials delays, it was experienced that often meeting in person and
pushing for a delivery to be on time was the most efficient use of a team member or two. With
the language barrier and general easy going culture it was sometimes difficult to get things done
and communicated properly over the phone. Although this may seem time consuming as a
member is lost working in the community, it keeps the project moving forward.
Have a way to track your workforce
As community participation was vital to this project it was imperative that we had the
community involvement we expected each day. However, it was difficult to monitor this
involvement because it was challenging for the team to learn everyone’s name in the community.
As the community is often intertwined there were also cases of community members who live in
one home working as the volunteer of a different home, making it challenging to track of at least
one volunteer being present for each house. Therefore there was no way to track when and if
people were working from each house. This was not a problem for this implementation as we
had enough community involvement to finish the systems, however in future implementations
this might be an issue to plan for.
Know monetary laws in the country

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
Different countries handle money and receipts differently. If you are dealing with money that is
not in your own bank account, make sure to know all the laws about accessing it ahead of time.
This was not properly researched for the trip and therefore the team spent more time than was
planned for in country trying to get the proper receipts to access the Rotary grant money.
7.0 Project Status
Project Type Implementation
Continues
Monitoring &
Evaluation
Complete
8.0Completed Project Monitoring
8.1Completed Project Status Table
8.2 Project Functionality Indicators (Include 3 per Project Type)
Project Type Project Functionality Indicator
(list indicators identified in the 522
for each project)
Monitoring Result
Water Supply Number (or percentage) of community
members satisfied with the project
Of the community members who have
received an EWB-USA WPI system,
the majority are very satisfied with
their system’s functionality. Some
complaints were raised about the
ability to clean the tanks separately.
In a multiple tank system with a
bottom connection, there is no way to
Project
Type
Project
Discipline
Date of
Completion
(mm/dd/yy)
Functionality
(enter one range
per project)
Periodic
Maintenance
(yes or no)
Demonstration
of Community
Capacity
(yes or no)0-
50%
50-
75%
75-
100%
Water
Supply
Rainwater
Harvesting
05/25/15 75-100% Yes Yes

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
detach the tanks to clean them
separately. This means that when
families want to clean their tanks they
are losing all of their water. There was
continued negative feedback
regarding the Rotoplas filters that
come with the tanks. Many were torn
and dirty. The majority of families
however were satisfied with the
systems, especially the improved
water storage.
Quantity of water available to each
household during dry and wet
seasons
Interviews with families who had
received systems in previous
implementations reported that the
majority of families did not need to
use any water source besides the
EWB-USA WPI systems for drinking
or cooking. During the rainy season,
families used the system’s water for
all purposes including laundry,
bathing and cleaning corn.
Quality of the water at the water
point
Water quality tests were done on
previously implemented EWB-USA
WPI systems as part of ongoing
monitoring. Some concerns were
raised about the impact of the filters
on the cleanliness of the water. It was
found that most families were properly
cleaning and maintaining tanks,
gutters, and the first flushes which
were improving the ultimate quality of
the water in the tanks.
8.3Periodic Maintenance Indicators (Include 3 per Project Type)

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
Project Type Periodic Maintenance Indicator
for each project)
Monitoring Result
Water Supply Level of cleanliness of gutters feeding
a rainwater harvesting system
During a visual inspection at each of
the homes, it was found that the
gutters were generally clean and free
of debris. The degree of cleanliness
varied by home but all appeared to
have been cleaned at least once
since implementation. Some families
informed the team that they clean the
gutters when they clean the first flush
and tanks.
Level of cleanliness of water storage
tanks
Through interviews, the team learned
that tanks implemented on May 2014
have been cleaned at least once
since the implementation. Some tanks
had small amounts of debris/dirt
gathering at the base of the tank.
Other tanks appeared to be recently
cleaned.
Observed evidence of routine
maintenance on the system done
accurately without EWB-USA WPI
Families informed travelers that they
were routinely cleaning systems.
Some systems appeared cleaner than
others. Chlorine could be smelt on
some of the filters. All filters were
stained and dirty, regardless of
cleaning. All families reported that
they were cleaning the tanks. The
team observed a child cleaning a tank
with soap and chlorine during the trip.
Mosquito netting was not maintained
on the majority of the systems. One
family had difficulty cleaning the tanks
which caused the tanks to break at a
bottom connection, but all other

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
systems seemed to be maintained
accurately.
8.4Demonstration of Community Capacity Indicators (Include 3 per
Project Type)
Project Type Community Capacity Indicator
for each project)
Monitoring Result
Water Supply Community completed major repairs
to the system accurately without
EWB-USA WPI
House 31 had a leak at the second
waterfall connection. The family
couldn’t fix it so they went to Roberto
to ask for help. He was able to
properly glue it.
Chapter observed community
members training others
Many men who had already
implemented systems were involved
in the construction of the new
systems. These men were very
active and vocal during the
construction process and were able
to teach the other men working on
construction.
Existence of broken components At House 5 the family was unable to
detach the system at the bottom to
turn the tanks to clean inside. They
cut the PVC close to a fitting and
then were unable to glue it back
together.
8.5Additional Information
1. Water Quality tests were completed in duplicate at all of the previously
implemented systems and at multiple other systems that were pre-existing in the
community. Unlike in previous trips where the tests were completed in triplicate,
the team choose to complete them only in duplicate upon being advised by a
professional mentor. Everyone was in agreement that the consistency of the tests
had been proven by the comprehensive use over the course of the previous trips.

Chapter Name
Community, Country
Project Name
2. Interviews were conducted at all of the homes being implemented as well as
most of the homes that have been previously implemented. Interview data which
can be seen in Appendix XX was used to gain information about social change in
the comm
9.0 Next Phase of the Program
The next phase of the Guachtuq, Guatemala program is to monitor and evaluate the impacts of
systems implemented through the Rainwater Harvesting project. Over the next year, Alvaro will
continue to visit the members of Guachtuq two to three times a month and report any issues to
the EWB-USA WPI team. The team will maintain contact with CeCEP throughout the year.
In May, 2016, a travel team will return to Guachtuq to conduct a thorough evaluation of program
impacts. The team hopes to find that all families have improved water security, improved access
to adequate quantity and quality of water to meet needs year round. The team will also be
returning with a design fix to address the need to have the ability to separate the tanks in a
system. This design will be thoroughly explored and analyzed in the year before the submission
of the pre trip form for the planned trip. The 901 Project Planning and Baseline Study, filed in
July, 2014, and the 901B Program Impact monitoring Report submitted with this document
outline the plans for monitoring and evaluation in more detail.
Accessing Filters
The Monitoring and Evaluation trip scheduled for May, 2016, will be led by incoming project lead
Evelyn Grainger. The team hopes that the project will conclude with this monitoring trip and that
no future implementations will be needed. Due to increasing safety concerns, EWB-USA WPI
will also be working with CeCEP and Guachtuq to establish a plan for long-term sustainability
and program closeout.
10.0 Professional Mentor Assessment
10.1 Professional Mentor Name and Role
10.2 Professional Mentor Assessment
10.3 Professional Mentor Affirmation

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