Title:
Rainwater Catchment
Areas:
Water, Sanitation, Environment
Description:
The Goal: To implement a centrally located model rainwater catchment system in and for
community of Batey Medio. Further, to do so in a manner consistent with the community's needs
and expressed desire for a project which will provide potable drinking water for the 600+
members of the community (during the wet season). Moreover, to use local labor, the lowest
material cost, and above all to educate community stewards on the importance and maintenance
of their rainwater catchment system. This system is located on the roof of the Community Center
(operated by SunCampDR; a former partner of Village12) in the common area of Batey Medio.
Procedure:
1) Selected project idea/community project proposal of Rainwater Catchment. Developed a
well-researched concept of the mechanics of rainwater catchment project with specific
regard to how necessary materials could be sourced as locally and inexpensively as
possible.
2) Befriended and then spoke with a diverse body of community members to assess interest
in a rainwater catchment system. As well as to discover any pre-existing knowledge of
rainwater catchment appropriate technologies.
*After interest in implementing this project was expressed by the Batey community:
3) Collaborated with community members to select a site for the installation of the
Rainwater Catchment project.
-The community center was selected due to its centrality of location within Batey Medio. As well
as being commonly owned by those the project would serve.
4) Spoke with community stewards to identify 1-3 workers for project installation and as
community project education representatives.
5) Adapted our previous research and project proposal to fit the specifications of the
selected site and the feedback of the community.
e.g.: Our original project intentions to implement a first flush purification design system,
filtration and diversion downspout, and optimal water storage capacity were all rejected
by the community on the basis that in their words “these materials were likely to be
stolen”. In line with respecting community requests and not wanting to jeopardize the
integrity of the catchment, a basic-model of an angled rainwater catchment gutter was
installed.
6) With 2 project workers/project educators, and a site now selected; we purchased all
necessary materials for rainwater catchment.
7) Reiterated the physical principles of rainwater catchment to those constructing the
project. Worked in a friendly and supportive manner to oversee the effective installation
of the rainwater catchment system.
*Project installation took approximately 10 hours to complete. It should be noted as a statement
of fact not judgment, that this time of 10 hours was doubled due to laborers disregard of our
construction knowledge (as foreign women). Due to this, the project had to be reinstalled a total
of 3 times before full efficacy of rainwater catchment could be achieved.
8) Thanked all community members for their involvement and feedback, and paid project
workers according to local labor rates.
9) Reiterated the significance and role of rainwater catchment to project educators and
community members.
Location:
Community Rec. Center,
Batey Medio, Munoz, Dominican Republic.
Tools:
Two 10’ PVC (4” diameter) custom cut to ¾ surface area, One 8’x4’ standard size corrugated
roofing tin, metal hand sheers to cut descending straps, 12 screws, power hand drill.
Cost:
Final Cost: 3,334 Dominican Pesos. (1,500 of which was local labor cost)
Running Costs:
Minimal costs associated with long-term maintenance after frequent and continued used.
Fundraising Plan:
Solicited 3 foreign volunteers for financial sponsorship after educating each on the desire for and
role of rainwater catchment for the Batey Medio community.
Tags:
Water, Rainwater, Drinking, Purify, Resource, Sanitation, Shower, Renewable, Sustainable,
Free, Municipal, Roof, Gutter.
International Volunteers:
Kate Skeen of Grass Valley, California, USA
Julia Balibrera of San Francisco, California, USA
Email:
skeen.katherine@gmail.com
julia.balibrera@gmail.com
Dates of Service:
04/02/2012 to 06/10/2012
Dates of project:
04/20/2012 to 04/27/2012 (Research to Implementation)
About international volunteer (Why did you choose this project?):
Arriving in Munoz, Dominican Republic in the rainy season, we observed profound
rainfall. During the final 6 weeks of the wet season, an approximate 73 inches of cumulative
rainfall occurred.
Tropical Rainfall in Munoz, Dominican Republic: April 2, 2012 to May 12, 2012
72
8
62
7
52
6
42
5
32
22
4
Volume 3
12
High
2
2
Low
1
-8
4/2/2012 to 4/10/2012 to 4/18/2012 to 4/26/2012 tp 5/1/2012 to 5/8/2012 to
4/9/2012
4/17/2012 4/25/2012 4/31/2012
5/7/2012
5/12/2012
(end of wet
season)
Close
0
We interpreted the above information as an indication that rainwater was abundant and
easily harvestable via catchment during the wet season (lasting approx. mid-November to midMay). With this knowledge, the idea for installing a community rainwater catchment system in
Batey Medio was born. This project was further set into motion, when next we learned of the
current ownership of water resources in Munoz.
It is our opinion that access to clean drinking water being a necessity to life and
community is therefore a fundamental human right. Water in all three Batey locations in Munoz,
is supplied by the municipal works of the Dominican Government. The government of the
Dominican Republic has historically suppressed and denied the rights and needs of Haitian
immigrants. Therefore we view water dependency on this government source as a tenuous and
volatile relation. In short view rainwater catchment in the Bateys of Munoz as a move away from
this dependency and toward a sustainable sufficiency.
Names of local counterpart:
-Elias, Vicente, Orlandio.
Contact:
Community Domino Rec. Center, Batey Medio, Munoz, Dominican Republic.
About local counterpart:
Elias:
A long-standing Village 12 community steward. Chosen for this project for his authority within
the community.
Vicente & Orlandio:
Selected by Elias to work on this project due to prior work experience.
Community Feedback:
As previously noted this projected was selected and implemented based on the expressed
positive interest of a wide variety of community members. However, at the culmination of
installing a rainwater catchment, much to our surprise, a contrary opinion was expressed by the
community. Once completed, community members expressed that a rainwater catchment system
was not important/necessary to the community. They expressed that water was supplied by the
government and therefore they did not view it as a scarce resource.