Water quality is something many in the United States take for granted. But contaminated water is the norm in the Dominican Republic.
For nearly ten years the Constanza Medical Mission has been bringing clean water solutions to the people of Constanza. Through the efforts of Rotarian volunteers and Rotary Club fundraising, biosand and ceramic pot filters have been provided to the families without access to clean water.
A lesson learned has been training and buy-in to the filter by the people. Having ownership of the filter enhances the responsibility to clean and maintain the filter, which can provide a family with clean water for 10 years! Through our current partnerships with Wine to Water and Puente, we are able to provide a $50 filter for $10. In exchange for the $10 the families pay for the filter, we have them attend three “charlas” or talks. One of the charlas is on sanitation, hygiene and the proper use and maintenance of the ceramic filter. Another charla is on disease prevention, particularly diabetes and hypertension disease prevention; both of which are predominant in this area. The third charla is tailored to the community and can include a community event such as a clean-up of an area or helping a family in the community with a project.
The Wine To Water team at the ceramic filter factory makes the clean water filters with their bare hands, a molding machine, and a kiln by local workers from a precise mixture of clay, sawdust, nano silver, and water. This results in a porous pot with a layer of activated charcoal to latch onto micro-organisms, and silver to kill bacteria. The filters, which resemble a clay flower pot, come in a 5-gallon bucket with a spigot to dispense the clean water. The filters often make the difference between sickness and health for families.
