Linking water and people

Waterlines is a publicly-funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, incorporated in New Mexico since 1988. Its purpose is to aid U.S. churches and other organizations in providing clean drinking water to communities in developing countries.

LOCATION OF WORK: Waterlines has provided funding and/or technical expertise for drinking-water projects in over 200 communities in twelve countries (Mexico, El Salvador, Panama, Bolivia, Peru, Nicaragua, Haiti, the Philippines, India, Honduras, Ethiopia and Kenya). Waterlines works in small villages (usually with populations between 200 and 2,000 people), where existing water sources are contaminated or distant.

WHO IS 'WATERLINES'?: Initially composed of volunteers from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Waterlines now involves scores of men and women based in the US and abroad who offer their expertise in small-scale drinking water projects.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT: The success or failure of an effort hinges on the members of the community involved. Waterlines' initial ability to work in a certain area depends upon the invitation of the community itself, a clearly drafted proposal from a local water committee, commitment by community members to perform the labor, and long-term agreement to keep the water system maintained.

CONTINUITY: Through site visits by U.S. volunteers and communication from individuals within the overseas communities, Waterlines remains in contact with each community over the years to ensure that clean drinking water continues to flow. Each year the Waterlines' Annual Report details in full the year-end conditions of every water project of which Waterlines has been a part.

U.S. volunteers and community members, San Jose El Pinal, Mexico

PARTNERSHIPS: Each project tends to be linked over time with its sponsor. Waterlines encourages (and, if necessary, financially enables) representatives from the sponsoring organization to visit the communities and see the projects they have funded first-hand.

TYPE OF PROJECTS: Waterlines has sponsored water systems run by diesel and gasoline pumps, solar-electric arrays, sand-and-gravel filtration systems and rainwater catchment tanks. The most effective long-term projects have been gravity-fed pipelines from spring sources located higher than the villages.

OVERHEAD COSTS: No one associated with Waterlines receives a salary; it remains an all-volunteer organization. Technical volunteers who work abroad are reimbursed for travel and in-country expenses. All contributions go toward the drinking water projects themselves.

Cerro Maiz, Panama

PROJECT COST: Drinking-water projects range from $1,000 to $25,000. The typical project costs between $5,000 to $10,000 for a gravity-fed system that includes spring box, several kilometers of tubing, holding tank, village distribution lines and faucets. (Each community donates its labor to build the system.)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

David Douglas
Fr. Robert Cumberland
Bill Muldrow
Deborah Douglas
Steve Peart
Peter Fant
Lou Harrington
Judy Crawford