Tech Overview

Now that Tom and I (the last of the tech team) have made it home, it seems a good time to go over what we accomplished along with Leo and Emily during the past three weeks. In this time, we all have been busy getting our hands dirty in trash, sewage and cold, hard science (all while wearing gloves and sometimes Tyvek suits, of course). Here’s a rundown:

1. Trash Characterization

Starting off, we were interested in two projects: a sanitary landfill and a sewage system. So, we began our trip by scouting and discovering Samne’s current systems in place of these. What we found was pretty surprising. For trash, there were a total of 8 sites totaling an estimated 225 cubic meters of trash dumped around the town! Most of these sites were cliffs alongside the Rio Moche where people would just simply come by to toss trash. Foul smell and insects invariably accompanied. Foul smell and insects that we ignored while digging through the trash to characterize and weigh it. Our valiant and somewhat grimy efforts showed us that most of the waste is plastic, though everything from organics to med-waste was found dumped at the sites around town. Some seemed to be regularly burned while others seemed to still have waste from a while back. Out of sight, out of mind was clearly the general perspective on trash.

2. Sewage Testing

Sewage dumpsites were very similar. The pipes going through town were all dumped out through three open pipes at the edge of town. Tests with the Imhoff Cone showed a definite presence of “settleable solids” (read: “poop”). A couple other tests confirmed contamination and no means of treatment. A trip to a nearby small city, Otuzco, a couple days later, however, informed us that government plans to develop a sewage treatment system by oxidation ponds have been confirmed. Though not the most efficient or effective method, this is a definite step in the right direction; however, it means that we handled dirty sewage water while the problem is already being taken care of. Well, we got some useful information about the town, and only one of us got sewage on himself (cough, Leo).

3. River Water Testing

Considering all of these dump sites along with the decades of mining waste dumped upstream of Samne, we decided it was also important to test the water quality of the Rio Moche both upstream and downstream of the pueblo. What we found was that the river water was hard and alkaline with a high pH – all corresponding results. Interestingly, other tests such as those for nitrates and phosphates did not yield extraordinary results. This meant that the river was not polluted in some of the ways we expected. Looking inside and even overturning rocks, however, showed that there were no signs of life except in still ponds where another water source flowed in. Talking to the people of Samne, we learned that some generations ago, the same river was teeming with fish all year long. This tells us that chemicals (possibly arsenic or mercury) for which we did not have testing materials have polluted the river over the years and made it unsuitable for marine life.

4. Samne Drinking Water Analysis

We also conducted similar water tests on the drinking water of Samne once we started talking to the community and considering other community projects. Somewhat disturbingly, we found traces of fecal coliform in the drinking water. Turns out that regularly boiling drinking water was probably a good decision on our part! We also oversaw the routine maintenance of the water source and got a look at their spring boxes and reservoirs. Apparently, the town currently dumps chlorine into the water once a month, all at once. Monitoring the chlorine levels showed us that the day this was done, the levels were out of control. Just two days later, though, there was almost no residual chlorine left. Changes clearly need to be made to this system. One interesting observation this brings up is that while the townspeople of Pitajaya, who get their river from the contaminated Rio Moche, say they try to chlorinate when they can, their system must be even less effective. All the more confirmation of the urgency of a potable water project there.

5. Bridge Diagramming

After realizing how important a more stable bridge, another possible project, will be to the town’s future growth, we also analyzed and diagrammed the current bridge. Though we were convinced of its terrible condition after seeing it dip in a sinusoidal manner every time a car went over it, we actually found that the parts were not rusted and seemed well maintained. The problem seems to be that it was not built for heavy cars to go over it and its 5-ton weight limit (according to Alan, the town mayor) is neared by the combis (small busses) that pass it daily.

6. Soil Testing

Finally, we also ran infiltrometer tests on beds of clay soil on plateaus right next to Samne. The low permeability of the soil we found there showed that they could serve as great liner material when a sanitary landfill project is undertaken in the community. Though the land does not belong to Samne, if these locally available materials can be used, it will make the project less expensive and more viable.

Overall, our work confirmed the necessity and viability of a number of projects in the town. As Samne develops, all the projects we have looked into will eventually need to be completed. Whether we work on them in our five years here or another group completes them at a later time, the data we have collected should provide a solid foundation for development. Meanwhile, we all had a blast hiking through the Andes and the Rio Moche to get data, all while being a part of some real life, outdoor scientific action!

Potential Projects!

Now that the festival of Santa Rosa is over, the streets of Samne are once again deserted as everyone has returned to work on the chacra or in the city. Normal life has resumed as per usual. And like the tourists who so quickly came and left, we too are saying our goodbyes, as today is our last day. As we finish packing and prepare to catch the 1pm combi (actually 2pm PST, Peruvian Standard Time), I thought I would fill you in on the various potential projects we have encountered during these past three weeks. 

1. El relleno sanitario - The landfill

Investigating the trash problem in Samne was the primary purpose of our trip, as we hoped to collect data and make preparations for the construction of a landfill next summer. Indeed we have discovered that the trash problem does exist; however as one usually finds in the field, plans often change, and the trash problem is one of many. (See the list of other potential projects below...) Through community surveying we have found that most people don't consider a landfill a priority, and a good number do not even know what a landfill is. Not everyone separates organic and inorganic waste, and (as we discovered ourselves) this leads to fly problems when trash is stored indoors. Thus for most people it is easier to dump their trash outside at communal dump sites, which are burned bimonthly. This ineffectual system is deeply ingrained into the mindset and daily routine of the people. Another hurdle that surfaced is obtaining the land for the project. Luckily Alan (the mayor) owns a sufficient plot far away from the river which could perhaps be used, and additionally the technical team found an impermeable clay region from which we could take soil for the landfill foundation. We have the tools but need more community support which would involve an extensive educational program, "capacitación" as it is called here.

2. El puente - The bridge

Currently Samne has two routes out of town: the bridge over the Moche River, which links to the paved road, and the long, winding dirt path down the mountain. For transportation of crops, tourists, and large vehicles, the bridge route is preferable. However the bridge's capacity is only 5 metric tons, according to Alan, and thus oftentimes farmers have to make multiple trips across to transport their entire harvest. Even so, when cars under the weight limit make their way across, the structure dips precariously, forming a kind of sine wave that makes you wonder how long it will last... Everyone in Samne agrees that a bridge project would greatly benefit the town, and it is the top priority of la Ronda Campesina, one of the community's most influential and organized groups. Alan however has said the municipality of Salpo has promised to build a new bridge for Samne. Other influential townspeople say that it is out of Salpo's jurisdiction to fund such a project. At this point our goal is to untangle this political web of confusion in order not to waste time considering a project that is already on someone else's agenda. 

3. El sistema de agua en Samne central - Improving Samne's existing potable water system

Many people gave mixed reviews about the potable water system already in place in Samne. Some say they have water all the time; others complain that it breaks monthly and the water is cut. We are not sure if these complaints are a coincidence that coincide with the monthly reservoir cleanings, which require a short period without water. So although a good number of surveys indicate that improvement of the water system is important, we would need to further investigate what improvements are really necessary and which complaints are founded on miscommunication or lack of familiarity with the system.

4. El sistema de agua potable en Pitajaya - Potable water for Pitajaya

Pitajaya is a caserío of Samne, one of the small outer regions, located on the outskirts of the town. It is made up of 36 families, none of which have potable water but instead drink of the polluted Moche River. The people are very motivated and are willing to work hard to install the system with us. Currently there is another nearby caserío, Campo Nuevo, which may be gaining there own potable water system with the help of a Spanish NGO, Engineering Without Borders (they must have copied our name...). We have been in touch and may be able to tap into their water source since Pitajaya does not have a spring of their own. If Campo Nuevo does not install the system or if there is not enough water for both towns, we would have to resort to treating the river water, which would require more extensive research about the waste dumped by the upstream mining companies and other river pollutants.

5. Ambientes para el colegio - School facilities

Samne's primary and secondary school complex is beautiful. It was just renovated in 2009, and kids from all over travel to attend. Some of the old school structures remain, and the director hopes to convert them to additional classrooms, a chemistry laboratory, and library. They are also in need of an administrative facility, roof over the playground for sun protection, more computers, and Internet. Education is a priority for the folks in Samne, although some say improving the recently expanded school is not #1 on their list.

6. El sistema de desagüe - Sewage system

This project is on the top of list for many people. There is a public sewage system in place, but not everyone is connected and there is no treatment. However we spoke with the mayor and he said that the Otuzco municipality has plans to finance and construct a new system. During our visit to Otuzco we verified this fact with the chief engineer of works. 

7. Cocinas mejoradas - Improved stoves

Although popular with the women of Vaso de Leche, we are not sure if there are enough families in need of better stoves to merit this project. People of Samne either use cocinas de leña (wood stoves) or cocinas de gas (gas stoves) or both. Some of the wood stoves need chimneys to direct the smoke away, although many are outside so a chimney isn't necessary. Many of the women have voiced their desire for more efficient stoves that burn less wood and maintain high temperatures. Melissa, a Peace Corps volunteer who met with us during the trip, has ideas she has offered to share regarding better stove designs.

8. Una planta de procesamiento de fruta - Fruit processing plant

One of Samne's biggest problems is the lack of work or economic opportunity. Nearly everyone leaves for their day jobs, unless they work in the fields. Even so, the crops are sold directly to market at a low price. By instead making products from these raw materials (i.e. pineapple preserves, pineapple juice, etc), there would be some work for the women and a possible way to bring more tourism and prosperity to the town.

9. Plaza de armas - Town square

Everyone wants a plaza de armas. It is a Peruvian custom for each town to have a community space, centrally located, to sit and gather and talk. During the festival, a woman approached us about a community fund that she and a group had been collecting for several years to build such a plaza in Samne. However there is no central location available, and the project would require land acquisition. Since designing a plaza does not require as much engineering as other projects, it may not be truly EWB-worthy, despite people's requests.