Installing a TivaWater filter
Installing a TivaWater filter overcomes a contaminated water supply and eliminates the need to boil water to make it safe to drink.
On our recent trip to Guatemala, we traveled to Sepela, in the municipality of Chichicastenango, to deliver a water filter to Elena and those that live with her, including an infant. Everyone in the household would benefit from clean drinking water, but especially the baby!
Not only did we deliver and set up the filter, but we also took the opportunity to have Elena show us the path she walked every day to obtain water from the river nearby. It is a narrow, dirt path through crops, past trees, through shrubs, down a small ravine, across a field of tall grass, … very time-consuming!
Describe the Problem
Most Guatemalans do not have access to a water supply free of contaminants. As a result of the bacteria in their drinking water, many families suffer from cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A or diarrhea. There is no money for medical bills. Sadly, roughly 5% of the rural indigenous population dies from an easily preventable waterborne illness.
To make contaminated water safe to drink, families will boil water that is collected from a river or stream. But, firewood is expensive, and if a family forages for firewood, it takes hours out of their day. With the hours saved, they could work on something income-producing or study!
Provide a Solution
With the donation of a TivaWater water filter, the need to boil water is eliminated. Time and/or money is recouped because firewood is not being bought or chopped.
Although we have donated water filters that used hollow fiber and clay filtration methods, our current “go-to” filter is made by TivaWater and uses a BioSand filtration method in one bucket. The things we like most about the TivaWater filter are ease of installation, ease of maintenance, and long life span!
Look at this feedback from current TivaWater filter users!
It purifies the water very clean. Now I don’t have to worry about firewood.
It offers a lot of benefits like saving money, time, firewood — and it’s healthy!
I don’t have to boil the water anymore!
Nobody from my family has been sick from the water that we drink from the filter. The water that comes from the filter is really clean.
It’s simple to use and helps to save money.
It helps our environment — we don’t have to cut several trees for boiling our water.
Prove the Benefit
Diego demonstrates the easy setup of the water filter in this video. He also explains to donors the process a Guatemalan family follows to retrieve water from a river and make it safe to drink. First, they collect the water, often walking a distance to a water source. Second, they buy or cut firewood and bring it back to the home. Next, to get rid of parasites, they boil the water obtained. Finally, they wait 20 minutes for it to cool. All this just to get a glass of clean drinking water!
The testimonies above show how much families appreciate the filters and realize the benefits of ownership.
One member of our travel team that visited Elena with us was inspired to petition her family and friends, and upon our return to the States raised enough funds to donate six water filters!
To donate a water filter, please visit our water filters page!
The “right” opportunity arose when I learned about a travel opportunity for adoptive families which would include volunteer work and cultural sightseeing. Being members of that team had a profound impact on me, Lillian and Andrew. Not only were we able to make a real connection to our son’s birthplace, but we met incredibly warm and generous people, all of whom we now consider to be a part of our “family.” In addition to the volunteer work I shared with the Team, I also was able to “give back” by performing as my alter ego, “Farfel the Clown” at a barbecue for children of The Backyard School. It will remain one the proudest and happiest memories of my life.