Introduction
The heavy downpours that bring roughly 90 inches of rainfall to Las Marías, Puerto Rico, each year subside in the first few weeks of December, the start of the dry season. Even as the rainfall decreases, rain still comes on a near-daily basis, often in short bursts that cause mist to rise from the tropical mountainside forests.
This precipitation causes more than just iridescence in the sky. The region where Las Marías is located, on the west side of the archipelago’s main island, about 90 miles from San Juan, is elevated and prone to landslides. Heavy rainfall cascades into swollen rivers, carrying nutrient-dense soil with it. Water that could be used for drinking and agriculture picks up sediment, making water filtration—already a challenge for most rural communities across Puerto Rico—even harder.
The Challenge of Water in Rural Communities
Rural communities within municipalities like Las Marías are often not connected to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), which owns and operates 95 percent of the public water supply and wastewater systems in the archipelago. These places, sometimes referred to as non-PRASA communities, rely on locally operated systems for potable water.
However, in December, Plenitud P.R., a sustainability nonprofit in Las Marías, took a step that could not only solve water issues in this community, but potentially across the archipelago and beyond. Its farm now serves as the demonstration site for a water treatment system that is the first of its kind in Puerto Rico.
An Innovative Water Treatment System
Unlike most small community water systems, this system can be transported to rural areas to draw water from rivers and other surface water sources, which will be treated, stored and eventually used for drinking water.
Conclusion
The innovative water treatment system in Las Marías, Puerto Rico, represents a potential solution to the challenges of access to clean water in rural communities. With its ability to be transported and operated locally, this system can be an essential tool for improving the health and well-being of rural populations in Puerto Rico and beyond.
Source / Reference: https://insideclimatenews.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7c733794100bcc7e083a163f0&id=02549fd2a0&e=9c8d2e8aae