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Rainwater harvesting goes on tour!

It all began back in 2005 when Nuevas Esperanzas first introduced the concept of ferro-cement rainwater harvesting tanks to the community of San Jacinto.  Three years on, there are more than thirty tanks in San Jacinto and surrounding villages.  And the tanks are starting to be noticed!

Nuevas Esperanzas has been approached by many different organisations working in the area who are interested in learning more about how the rainwater harvesting systems work.  And now the tanks are spreading beyond the Department of León.

CARE Nicaragua has requested our help with a project in the north of Nicaragua building a rainwater harvesting tank at a school.  Work has just begun and one of the builders who has supervised many of the tanks in San Jacinto is now working with others at the school in Waswalí Abajo in the Department of Matagalpa, training them in the technique and supervising the construction of the tank.  Parents of the children at school are being encouraged to contribute manual labour and the children have been watching with excitement as the foundations were laid and the 71,000 litre tank begins to take shape before their eyes.

Interest has also spread to the north in the Department of Chinandega.  Food for the Hungry International is working with the community of El Ojoche, almost on the Honduran border.  Members of the Nuevas Esperanzas team visited the community early in the year to review the water situation and suggested that rainwater harvesting be considered as an option to improve access to water in the dry season.  The community have now decided to go ahead with two tanks, one at a church and one at the school.

Nuevas Esperanzas has provided advice on rainwater harvesting to organisations in many parts of Nicaragua, as well as other countries in Latin America, and in addition to tanks for domestic use, new applications are being considered for uses such as drip irrigation of tree nurseries and vegetable production using hydroponics.  We look forward to seeing the spread of rainwater harvesting systems further across the country and beyond!

22/09/08