Construction weeks 1 and 2: Elevated Tank

It´s been a very hectic three weeks of construction here so I shall tell the story in pictures, starting with weeks one and two. The first two weeks were spent on construction of the elevated tank at the school in Limones, as well as arranging materials for the school and the remote spring capture site.

Installation of automatic air valves with the operator, Nivo. The manual air valves which the system had previously were impractical as they are located 2-3 hours from the operator´s home! This meant that air blocks often affected flow.

Finalising materials and pipe fittings to be bought prior to construction. A rigorous system was vital in order to keep track of which accessory was intended for which part of the works.

Last minute calculations in one of the classrooms at the school, to investigate a potential solution that was suggested a short time before construction was due to start. The operator, Nivo, preferred the option of an on-line tank but calculations being done here showed that this would not guarantee supply to the school. At this time there was a lot of pressure to complete construction well before the end-Nov funding deadline. Unfortunately this coincided with Pete´s visit, but he was able to help us with our investigations!

Materials begin to arrive on site. Each load arrived a day late, resulting in half a day´s lost work while waiting for the steel to arrive.

Four "mingas" (community work days) were vital for the completion of the works. Above, a dumper working on improving the road close to the school offers to help transport stone for forming bases of structures. Here people who turned out for the first "minga" help to load the bucket.

Work days such as this are commonplace here in Ecuador, from helping to paint you child´s classroom to heavy labour to improve your water supply such as this.

For competing the works we designed to improve the spring capture, access posed one of the key challenges. The closest road access is around 2km away from the spring so all material was carried down by volunteers from the community or by mule. Even this track is around an hour´s drive away fromthe school, where all the materials were kept, and paying a truck to transport heavy material such as sand and cement cost around $30 a trip.

Work begins at the school with digging of foundations for the three legs of the elevated tank.

The maestro (foreman), Don Miguel Farinango, bends rebar to shape on site.

Fixing rebar cages for the tank columns in the school playground.

Concrete is mixed by hand on the floor.

The site office...

Rebar cages for the columns are fixed into place with wire.

Preparing the column shuttering on a misty morning in the playground.

A type of cane called "Guadua" is used to form a strong scaffolding structure from which to work.

The slab is cast on which the tank will be plaved. Helpers from the community are brought in to assist for the day.

finishing touches are put to the structure- the tank has been placed and the posts to form edge protection are cast in place.

Another minga (community work day). this time of parents of children at the school. They replace a leaking pipe, dig a trench for the new pipe connection from the network and also dig a soakaway which will be used for the tank washout and the wash station, which previously simply drained onto the soil and formed a permanently muddy area.

Filling the soakaway with stones

And finally, a much needed break in Otavalo on Friday afternoon, two weeks into construction. Here I have found myself a lovely spot overlooking the famous Otavalo market, in which to read my book and watch the activity below.