Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
The report of the water cycle project in Colombia
and Peru – Easter 2016
1
Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Table of contents
1. Introduction
2. General description of the two steps sand filter system.
3. Easter 2016 – Water treatment plant installations in Peru along the
Amazon River. A step-by-step description of the sand filtration.
4. Inspection of the water treatment devices in the communities along
the Amazonian frontier Colombia.
5. Conclusion
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
1. Introduction
Access to clean water should be a fundamental human right which is crucial for
poverty reduction, sustainable development and achieving the Millennium
Development Goals. Along the Amazon River in Colombia, less than 10% of
indigenous (native) people have access to potable (drinkable) water.
The Water Cycle Project aims to improve the living standards of native people and
help mitigate the growing impacts of climate change, in areas where governmental
support is non-existent. This project is being implemented in collaboration
with Foundation Ankarstiftelsen in Sweden.
A voluntary trip (mission?) to Colombia and Peru was undertaken during the Easter
period in 2016; this mission was partly financed by OMTAB.
This Report contains:
- A general description of a water treatment process utilizing a simple sand
filtering system
- Details of the water treatment plant installations achieved along the Amazonian
frontier in Peru - for 34 houses, 1 school and 1 kindergarten.
- The annual inspection trip protocol of previous installed water plants for 42
communities along the Amazon River in Colombia.
9 people from Sweden,1 from Denmark, 1 from France, 1 from Belgium and 2
people from Colombia gathered to help the villages and families obtain drinkable
water. Along the way, local people helped to prepare the foundations of the water
tanks together with Entropika water project leaders.
The mail goals of this project are: (1) to provide clean water and basic sanitation
through the installation of clean technologies in indigenous communities of the
Amazonian frontier between Colombia and Peru, (2) reduce the risk of waterborne
diseases and (3) build a conceptual model of the bio sand filtration system.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
2. General description of the two steps sand filter system.
The system shown in Figure 2-1 is a development of the two-step system. Tank 2
contains more than 200 liters of water and the diameter of Tank 3 is adapted based
on the calculation of the flow rate. A tube with proper dimensions for providing a
household is suitable if sealed at one end and can be buried in the ground for
stability. Gravel can be used in the bottom of the sand to prevent the sand from
entering the water pipe. In addition, a filter cloth is placed between the sand and
the gravel. To ensure a constant flow, the outflow from Tank 3 should be open at
all times. The purified water is collected in Tank 4, which is a small bucket provided
with a tap and a lid.
Figure 2-1: Illustration of the two-step sand filter system.
Tank 2 is the large tank,
Tank 3 is the cylindrical tube-tank where the sand contains,
Tank 4 is the where the purified water collects,
C is the sedimentation,
D is the biological degradation
E is the Sand filtration.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
3. Easter 2016 – Water treatment plant installations in Peru along the
Amazon River. A step-by-step description of the sand filtration.
The following section describes step by step the assembling of the sand filter
system which has been installed during the visit to Colombia and Peru in Easter
2016.
Figure 3-1:
The accommodation was in Colombia and we went to work by boat to the
Peruvian side daily – it took us 20-30 minutes for each journey.
Figure 3-2:
Step 1. The yellow tubes of diameter 165 mm were prepared by cutting to 1 m
long for the sand reservoir.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Figure 3-3:
Step 2. 1 m long yellow tubes prepared for the tap by drilling a small hole at 78
cm from one end.
60 parts of each component were prepared.
One to two tubes were used per household (according to their wish).
Figure 3-4:
Step 3. End side of the tube covered with a lid and the other end with a plug for
the tap. Most of the parts were glued as no other components or tools being
available.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Figure 3-5:
For the sand filtration system, there are two dimensions of tubes.
1. The yellow tube - diameter of 165 mm.
2. The white tube – diameter of 21 mm.
Figure 3-6:
Step 4. The white tube (which is the inner tube in the sand filter) is prepared by
cutting into pieces 75 cm long.
Afterwards, the angle of the tube has been glued to one end.
The other end is prepared by cutting to 45 degrees where the clean water is
supposed to enter through the gravel and sand.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Figure 3-7:
Step 5. The cross section is shown in the photo above (left-hand side).
Before the final assembling - the yellow tube is filled with sand up to where the
inner tube is mounted.
The sand-filter will be finalized with a net on the top of the tube to protect the
clean water from dirt and contaminants.
This part of the filter will be standing inside people’s houses.
Figure 3-8: Demonstration of assembling the white tube together with gravel and
sand.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Figure 3-9: Simultaneously to the steps above, a second group of people
prepared the rain water collectors (the large black tank).
This tank collects 500 liters of rain water.
Children helped to carry the equipment.
Women from the villages helped to cook lunch for the volunteer groups.
Men helped to install the filters and we educated them as to how to repair and
maintain the filters as well.
Figure 3-10: The black tank is prepared both internally and externally with plugs
to mount taps.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Figure 3-11: Approximately 1.7-2.0 m tall benches bad been already prepared by
the households before our arrival. These benches were made to put the large
black tank at the end of each house to collect the rain water. The piping system
starts from the inside of each house and is connected through the house-walls
into the outer tank.
The entire system is hand-made due to poor availability of equipment and tools.
There are also problems transporting all of the resources as well.
Figure 3-12: This is how the final result of the installation looks.
After collecting water with the first rain – one must wait approximately 2 weeks
before starting to drink the water. This time is needed for the sedimentation and
biological agents to filter through the sand to get it to into a drinkable condition.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Figure 3-13: The families are happy to receive clean water into their homes.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Figure 3-14: This poor couple are very old, have problems getting around and rely
on other to help them. Now they don’t need to wait until someone remembers them to
provide them with some water. They can manage to open the tap and get some
drinkable water by themselves. They are happy and endlessly thankful to receive clean
water to their home.
Figure 3-15: This kindergarten and one school also received water system to their
facilities.
34 households received clean water systems to their homes and the families are
exceptionally grateful for the help that was provided.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Figure 3-16: Samanthi is helping to make the roof of their home by twisting the
three palm leaves. This is also her area of expertise due to her Asian heritage and
background.
Figure 3-17: Last but not least we got to see and carry Anacondas, Mambas and
Boa in their natural environments and territories. These are just a few of the dangerous
animals we got chance to experience amongst all of the amazing wildlife.
Fishing for Piraya (Piranhas) was also a great experience and I saw caiman and
crocodiles in the Amazon River during a kayak trip; however, the kayak was unstable
and dangerous but I made it!
Sleeping one night in a small cabin on the top of a 30-meter-tall tree was also a
unique experience.
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
4. Inspection of the water treatment devices in the communities
along the Amazonian frontier Colombia.
The volunteers were divided into smaller groups to achieve the most benefits
from this trip. A smaller groups of people visited and inspected 42 villages as
seen in the below table.
Table 4-1: Summary of the inspection.
Villages
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
San Martin
Puerto Rico
12 Octobre
San Juan de Jose
Villa Andrea
Nueva Paradiso
Ticoya
Puerto Narino
20 de Julio
Valencia
Palmeras
Mocagua
Macedonia
El Vergel
La Libertad
Zaragoza
Puerto Triunfo
Loma Linda
Sta Sofia
Progresso
La Maloka
Arara
Nazareth
Canaan
San Jose
Fantasia
Have well or Have had,
water
but was not
treatment
managed
ok.
x
x
x
x
x
X
x
x
x
x
x
x
X 10
Have potable water
from the
community
New
applications
sent to Ancla
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
27
Peru
28
Peru
29
Brasil
30
Leticia
31
32
33
34
35-38
39
Peru
40
41
42
Chineria in Peru
x
Guannabarra in
Brasil
Pachu Vela skolan
in Leticia
Afacinte skolan
inLeticia
San Antonio de Los
Lagos
House for elderly in
Leticia
San Fransisco
3 new villages
upside Puerto Rico
Villa Allegree in
Peru
Santa Rita a
Mochila ( one hour
from Caballocochar
with small boat)
Islandia de Fantasia
( 20 min close to
Leticia)
x
Pt Allegria
Well in La Guajira
for Indigenyas
Wayu. 50 %
funding requested
which is 20M Pesos
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
3x
X (through P
Carlos. Also a
new school with
3 salas
X (through P
Carlos. Also new
school with
toilets)
X (through P
Carlos. German
Ronda contact
person)
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
Figure 4-1: Inspection of a larger installation.
Condition - ok.
Figure 4-2: Inspection of a household installation.
Condition – need to replace with entire new system.
Figure 4-3: Inspection of a community installation.
Condition – ok.
We got several request for fixes and new filters and all were approved and should be fixed
as soon as possible (before any other projects).
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Collaboration between OMTAB, Ankarstiftelsen and Entropica –The water cycle project in Colombia and
Peru Easter 2016.
Initiated and coordinated by Samanthi Livera at OMTAB.
5. Conclusion
Access to clean water by people in Sweden is done without thought. By volunteering
to journey to Colombia and Peru to help indigenous people who do not have ready
access to clean water has had a direct impact for the better on people’s lives and
livelihoods. The aims of the mission were achieved; however, as always more can
and should be done. The direct support of OMT in sponsoring my participation has
been invaluable and they should be proud that through me, they have directly helped
to improve people’s lives.
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