In 1972, Agua del Pueblo embarked on its first major project in the community of Pampojilá, near San Lucas Tolimán. We were fortunate to find an exceptionally capable and enthusiastic social work student already working in the community, who joined us as a co-founder of Agua del Pueblo. Her name was Sayra Cabrera, and she later earned the title of Doctor.
More recently, Edwin Palomino, the leader of the Sanik’ Ya community, introduced Bruce to Ms. Yesica Roldan, a social worker in her final year at San Carlos University's school of social work. Yesica is in the same program that brought Dra. Sayra Cabrera to Pampojilá 50 years earlier. San Carlos and the Municipality of San Lucas assigned Yesica to Sanik’ Ya. She has committed to raising funds to purchase Eco-filters for every family in Sanik’ Ya and has enlisted her colleagues who lead a rock group. The group is planning a benefit concert in Xela.
One more glorious day in San Lucas. We took sample at the three SunSprings. Salvador-Alfredo Jacinto-Pablo (Salva) explained how he had uncovered the algae problem. Licda Quimica-Biologo Magda Teresa C. Flores López (Teresa), the director of ATITLAB in Panajachel confirmed Salva’s theories.
Teresa explained that when water is subjected to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, algal growth increases. Teresa explained how the Salva Vida Corporation uncovered a similar finding. Bottom line, even after ultra filtration, a water system must add chlorine to ensure minimal microbiological growth. Filtering alone, even to the level of 0.02 microns, will not ensure that biological growth will not contaminate water supply.
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