Community Organization

Today, 3.6 billion people live in water scarcity conditions, and as groundwater and surface water resources continue to dry up, that number is only expected to grow. These traditional water sources are also becoming increasingly contaminated. Groundwater can contain naturally occurring heavy metals and minerals (like arsenic and fluoride), and surface water and shallow wells are becoming increasingly contaminated with organic chemicals from agricultural and pharmaceutical runoff as well as industrial dumping due to inadequate regulations. Long-term exposure can cause numerous cancers, development disorders, interference with the endocrine and reproductive systems, and a host of other health problems.

Finding new water resources is critical for the health of our planet. The solution becomes infinitely easy when we simply look to the sky and begin to view rainwater as a resource, instead of a nuisance.

Rainwater is immune to water table loss, and is also inherently free of chemical contaminants like arsenic, fluoride, pesticides, and other agricultural or industrial runoff. Caminos de Agua’s rainwater harvesting programs improve community health, reduce environmental stress on over-extracted aquifers, and give people control and consistency over their water supply. These programs leverage community organizations and volunteer labor. Rainwater isn’t just the solution for our region, it’s a solution for the world.

Rainwater harvesting systems — like any technology — are useful tools, but not complete solutions in and of themselves. Success is dependent on community participation and ownership. For our rainwater projects, community members make all decisions regarding organization, beneficiaries, and locations. This method contributes to stronger, better-organized, and more resilient communities, which in turn leads to ownership and lasting success of our work.

Agustin Gonzalez

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San Cayetano

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El Fraile

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