An International Collaboration for the Development of Wastewater Infrastructure in a Rural Community in El Salvador

Abstract

The University of Wisconsin-Madison chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB-UW) has teamed with Rotary International and the municipality of Nejapa, El Salvador to construct a wastewater collection and treatment system for two developing communities, La Granja and Nuevo Ferrocarril. The communities have no centralized wastewater collection system resulting in raw sewage discarded to the streets. The first section of the project involves the construction of a wastewater collection system in the two communities for centralized treatment. Nejapa built a wastewater treatment plant in 2000, but due to overloading and poor maintenance, the system is currently failing. EWB-UW is currently in the process of discussing implementation of a preliminary design with Nejapa. The wastewater treatment plant update involves three different phases. The three phases include an update on their primary clarifier, the construction of a bio-tower and secondary clarifier, and the reconstruction of the existing wetland.