The Ecuador Program is one program of the UW-Madison chapter of EWB-USA. Since our conception in 2014, we have completed one project and are currently working on 2 others.
Timeline of the Ecuador Program
August 2014: Assessment Trip to Tabuga
Travel team collected information needed to begin designing water distribution system
January 2015: Second Assessment Trip
Collected more survey data, including water and soil samples
Team met with community members to inform community leaders about the status of the project
Conducted a workshop about water quality to local community members
August 2015: Implementation Trip
Travel team installed the piping network, which included pipes, valves, pressure gauges, and water usage meters for each home
Implementation of a chlorination system was started
January 2016: Implementation Trip
Completed installation of chlorination system
August 2016: Assessment Trip
Installed an "H" System, which delivers water to the community before delivering water to the cistern
Began implementation of a Bypass System, which runs the water feed along the highway to increase pressure in the system and minimize friction loss
January 2017: Assessment Trip
Construction of sediment tank began, and was later completed by the community under the direction of Arquitecto Jose
Held a town meeting on piping design and water quality
Gathered information to begin the wash station project
Spring 2017
Team was approached by the communities of Tabuga and Camarones and asked to take on two new projects--a bridge project and a water distribution project
Began preparing for the assessment trips for bridge project and Camarones water project
August 2017: Assessment Trip
Surveyed the land for the bridge project
Assessed conditions for the water distribution system in Camarones
Arranged with the Red Cross to deliver the final necessary parts to complete the sedimentation tank
Held town meetings in Camarones regarding their water distribution project and in Tabuga regarding their bridge and wash station projects
August 2019: Assessment Trip
Trip was focused on finalizing data collection for Camarones Water Project
Surveyed river pathway for future pipe route
Measured necessary data such as water quality, flow rates and elevations
Held town meetings in Camarones to reestablish understanding of goals for the community