San Juan | Monday, April 19, 2021 | Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico (FCPR) announced today the launch of the first phase of the energy redundancy project for community aqueducts on the island, which will include the installation of solar systems and emergency generators to ensure their uninterrupted operation and, therefore, the supply of drinking water to thousands of families. The work began with the community assessment process, following the signing in December of a grant agreement with the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resilience (COR3), under the Risk Mitigation program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The first phase, scheduled to end in February 2022, follows the authorization of $ 1.7 million from a $ 25 million grant. During this first phase, data is being collected on the communities and their drinking water systems, as well as the prevailing environmental conditions and their potential impact and requirements. A feasibility study is also being conducted to determine the types of equipment needed, the preliminary design of the redundancy system, and its location. In addition, community participation and training processes are being developed, along with work plans for each community. Initial contact has already been established with 160 communities, and visits have been made to 50 community aqueducts—the systems were grouped into four regions: southwest, south-central, central, and southeast.
In Puerto Rico, there are approximately 242 community aqueducts, located in 43 municipalities and in remote rural and mountainous areas; they supply drinking water to 3% of the population—approximately 120,000 people. The infrastructure of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) does not serve these areas, so these systems are commonly referred to as NON-PRASA systems.
“After an arduous recruitment process that included the selection of regional managers and community coordinators, the FCPR launched the first phase of this project in March to provide access to drinking water using energy redundancy for vulnerable communities, with a commitment to ensuring social justice, equity, and community prosperity. In this way, we are preventing future emergencies from jeopardizing the continuity of this vital service. We appreciate the confidence that government agencies placed in our proposal, as well as the contributions from donors to the projects we have carried out as part of our Agua ‘Pa Nosotros” program,” said Dr. Nelson I Columbus Tarrats, president and chief executive officer of FCPR.
The second phase, scheduled to begin in March 2022, includes the installation of high-efficiency water pumping equipment with the capacity to operate using solar energy, electricity from the Electric Power Authority, or generators. It also includes the installation of photovoltaic equipment for solar energy generation and an emergency generator with an integrated fuel storage tank. In addition to ensuring uninterrupted service, the project's completion will reduce health risks and vulnerabilities associated with a lack of drinking water, particularly during disasters and emergencies. It will also strengthen community resilience and disaster preparedness, improve access to safe drinking water, and empower communities by enhancing their capacities.
This project is one of several developed by FCPR since late 2017 through the Agua Pa ‘Nosotros program, which focuses on providing access to drinking water and strengthening these communities in four key areas related to their community aqueducts: infrastructure, community organization, administration, and compliance with regulatory agencies. Prior to the start of this project, Agua Pa ’Nosotros had established relationships with 102 communities with community water systems, of which approximately 60 systems received technical assistance; 20 communities received philanthropic investments to improve their infrastructure; two emergency centers have been established in communities with community aqueducts (Corcovada, in Añasco, and Las Corujas, in Aguas Buenas); and 13 community aqueducts received donations to support community efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Agua Pa’ Nosotros has had the following partners and donors: Hispanic Federation, Global Giving, Oxfam, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.
To learn more about the project, you can contact 787-349-7652 or write to acueductoscomunitarios@fcpr.org. More information can also be found in this flyeR.
PHOTO The image shows the tank of Corporación Saltos Pellejas in Orocovis.