Two Villages Unite to Build and Manage Their Own Water System - Sioasio, Sual, Pangasinan

Submitted by A Single Drop on 19 January 2009

Two Villages Unite to Build ONE Water System

Sual, Pangasinan, Philippines

A Single Drop for Safe Water (ASDs Philippines Sister Office) conducted a Water/Sanitation/Hygiene (WASH) Resource Inventory and Analysis Workshop for two villages, East and West Siaosiao. Both communities had come to the workshop with the intention of learning how to plan and build their own spring-fed water systems. After the workshop and the group mapped their water and sanitation resources, they realized that there was one spring that could supply enough water for both villages. So, the two villages united to form one organization or PODS (see below) who would plan, design, build and maintain the water system. However, the spring was on private land. The organization was so confident and had such a clear plan, they convinced the owner not only to let them access the spring, but helped him MOVE HIS HOUSE to another location!

ASDSW conducted an intensive PODS Training to ensure that the organization had the technical expertise to maintain the system, and the organizational skills to collect the user fees and run the organization sustainably. In less than three months, the system was built by volunteers from both communities under the supervision of ASDSW. Currently the PODS is serving nearly 3000 people through community tap stands. Some of the users have paid the PODS to connect pipes into their homes!

Even more inspiring, as a result of ASDSWs trainings, the Siaosiao PODS (KASEWWA) realized that they should protect their watershed, so they are currently negotiating with the Dept of Environment and Natural Resources to implement the reforestation project. This project sponsored by Team Energy.