Water Purification for 50 Families

Our Lenten collection at St. Paul Parish will provide 50 families with a water purification system. This purification system is very simple to make. It uses two buckets, two covers, two Berkey filters, and a spigot. A two-filter system will purify 6,000 gallons of water. For most families, this system will probably last eight years or more and will provide pathogen-free water.

In 2015, Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) installed 25 systems. Sister Paula, the  community liaison for water purification, likes the system because it's simple system to use. She has asked for more systems, especially for those who have to buy water from a community tank, which contains water delivered by a tank truck.

There are many ways pathogens can enter their water buckets before it gets to their home. Families purchase water several times a week and hand-carry the five-gallon bucket to their home. A full bucket weighs 40 lbs. Can you imagine walking several blocks, carrying two buckets at a time and having to walk ten buckets to your home three or four times a week?
 

Family Buying Water from a Community Tank

Our parish is very lucky to  have high school junior, Miranda, working on this project. This is Miranda's second trip to Peru. She has seen people suffering from intestinal problems due to the water contamination and she's really passionate about helping them get clean drinking water.

Miranda has been practicing her Spanish all year so that she can train-the-trainer. Eight people presently using a water purification system have volunteered to be trainers and  they'll go out into their community to install and show the families how to use the water purification system, since they already know how to use the system. Miranda will  meet with these eight trainees and make sure they are using the system properly.  She will review:

• Assembling each system
• Testing the water to make sure the system is working properly
• Maintaining the system

This system works so well, we have one in our own home. No, it's not pretty. However, it gives my family fresh drinking water and doesn't remove all of the minerals like a reverse osmosis system.

Here are some pictures of the completed system assembled by Miranda. Doesn't she look like she's having fun? Thank God for this precious gift—the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives!

Two-filter System

Water Purification System Assembled by Miranda

 

Article submitted by Deb Passino