Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

In partnership with a community organization, Nido De Vida, we assessed the water access needs and built a physical map as a prototype to recommend ways to improve water access for the Bolivarense community in Ecuador. The team, using deep dive method, conducted initial interviews with community members from 17 households within a 3 mile radius. Out of 17 households, only six felt secured about the amount of water they have access to during the dry season, but those that do have significant water storage, while all households get their water from creeks which run low in the dry season. Lastly, all of the 17 household saw cost as a barrier to improving their water systems; some explained that they would like to buy storage tanks or electric pumps, but could not afford them. The team, in cooperation with Nido de Vida, employed a range of needs filtering methods in order to set aside some challenges and prioritize the others. After prioritizing and filtering the challenges, most of the high priority challenges centered around ensuring water access for all community members, environmental conservation, education, and community building. Focusing on the challenge of environmental conservation, we created and presented a 3-mile radius physical map to the community, displaying geographic locations of water sources used by various families and locations of homes of the community. This assessment and geographical map has demonstrated that it is possible to apply these deliverables for potential development projects to improve water access for this community.