After completion of a clean water system in the community of San León, EWB-Peru began working with the neighboring community of Llacamate in the summer of 2008 to improve water and sanitation services. The primary focus of the project is on constructing a drinking water system that will bring clean spring water down to individual households within the community. However, during an assessment trip in January of 2009, the community also expressed a need for latrines.Currently, there are three latrines in the community, but the vast majority of the community does not use them. There is a large body of evidence suggesting that in order to decrease the risk of exposure to disease-causing pathogens, improved sanitation services should be coupled with water quality improvement and hygiene education.
This project will provide an exciting opportunity for engineering students to be involved in the technical design of the latrines, to experience hands-on work in a cross-cultural setting, to assist the community-led implementation efforts, and to manage the overall advancement of this project. In a collaborative effort between students and community members, a pilot community latrine was built this past summer with the intention of building 15 to 20 individual family latrine in the upcoming trips. Students will also have the opportunity to work closely with a Peruvian engineer from the local government, with various professional engineering mentors to the team, and with the team’s faculty advisor, Rita Klees. Working with the community of Llacamate will provide an unforgettable learning experience for students participating in this direct service learning.
For questions about the Peru project, contact Michaela at
Peru Project
