Purified water changes absolutely everything

1. Project Overview
Over the past year, our Purified Water Project continued to address the urgent lack of access to safe water in rural communities of northern Santiago del Estero, Argentina. During this period, we successfully constructed five rainwater harvesting cisterns, directly benefiting five indigenous families in Piruaj Bajo. In total, 32 people who previously had no access to safe water at home are now able to collect and store clean water for daily use.

2. Context and Need
Access to safe drinking water remains a critical challenge in Piruaj Bajo, a remote indigenous community where families do not have access to running water systems. Households depend on irregular and often unsafe water sources, which directly impacts health, hygiene, and overall quality of life. Climate variability and prolonged dry periods further intensify water scarcity, making sustainable solutions essential.

3. Activities and Outputs
During the reporting period, our team implemented the following key activities:

• Construction of 5 rainwater harvesting cisterns
• Direct support to 5 families from the indigenous community
• Provision of safe water access to 32 individuals

Each cistern is designed to collect and store rainwater, providing a reliable and safer water source for household consumption and daily needs.

4. Community Participation
A key component of the project is the active involvement of beneficiary families. Each family contributed significantly to the construction process by:

• Excavating the cistern pit, a task that requires approximately one week of manual labor
• Providing food and accommodation for the construction workers

This level of participation not only reduces costs but also strengthens community ownership and long-term sustainability of the infrastructure.

5. Outcomes and Impact
The installation of these cisterns has generated immediate and meaningful impact:

• Families now have access to a nearby and safer water source
• Reduced need to travel long distances to collect water
• Improved hygiene and reduced exposure to contaminated water
• Increased resilience to drought and climate variability

The project goes beyond infrastructure, contributing to improved living conditions, health, and dignity for highly vulnerable families.

6. Challenges and Lessons Learned
One of the main challenges continues to be the logistical complexity of working in remote areas. Construction materials must be transported from a distance of approximately 140 kilometers, with the final 35 kilometers consisting of difficult dirt roads that are often hard to navigate.

These conditions increase transportation time and costs, and can delay implementation. However, they also reinforce the importance of careful planning, strong local coordination, and community involvement to ensure successful project delivery.

7. Financial Overview
Each cistern had an approximate cost of USD 1,200, resulting in a total investment of USD 6,000 during this period. These funds covered materials, transportation, and skilled labor.

8. Looking Ahead
Despite this progress, many families in the region still lack access to safe water. In the coming year, we aim to expand the number of cisterns, continue strengthening community participation, and further adapt our solutions to the challenging environmental and logistical conditions of the region.

Links:

• A Cistern tank for Zulma and her family

During 2025, the project successfully completed the construction of four rainwater harvesting cisterns, directly benefiting four families living in highly vulnerable rural communities. In addition, the construction of one additional cistern is scheduled to be completed in January, further expanding the project’s impact.

Each cistern provides a storage capacity of 16,000 liters of rainwater, collected during the rainy season and suitable for human consumption. These systems represent a critical solution in an area where no public water network exists.

Two of the cisterns were built in the remote community of Tacioj, where families are particularly large and geographic isolation significantly limits access to basic services. The remaining cisterns were constructed in Piruaj Bajo. In both locations, families previously had to walk up to 2 kilometers daily to collect approximately 300 liters of water to meet all domestic needs.

The installation of household cisterns has resulted in immediate and meaningful improvements. Families now consume cleaner, safer water, as the closed systems protect against bacteria and contamination. Additionally, reduced time spent fetching water has allowed family members—especially women—to dedicate more time to productive work, caregiving, and other essential activities, improving overall quality of life.

This progress marks an important step toward water security, health, and dignity for rural families facing extreme water scarcity.