The community

La Pedregosa is a community located just 30 kilometers away from Las Delicias in the village of Tulú and the district Penonomé.  Connected to the main city of Penonomé with an access road kept functional year-round by residents, La Pedregosa is home to 300 people in 55 houses.  While it does not have access to electricity, the community does have a multigrade school for its members. 10 years ago, in conjunction with the Peace Corps, La Pedregosa was able to build a water distribution system, but a few problems exist in this current system.  Due to fluctuations in rainfall during the rainy and dry seasons, and its unpredictability due to a rapidly changing climate, the amount of water accessible at a given time is inconsistent. Evaluations have also shown that the existing water storage tank may be too small to effectively serve the entire community.  La Pedregosa has an active Administrative Board that is legally recognized and prepared to collaborate in order to establish a better system.

The Project

The current water distribution system is gravity-fed and is supplied by two springs located on a hill known as El Escobal.  A third spring has also been located where the community intends to build another water intake to add to the current one, but they’re waiting on technical advice from from EWB-USA NEU.  In order to better serve the community, the EWB-USA NEU is looking to expand the existing system and ensure there is enough water supply for the population, even during the dry season.  Evaluations will be made on the upcoming trip to determine the best ways to do that.