"Water monitoring"

The attention is focused on four rural communities in the Juluchuca micro-watershed within the state of Guerrero, Mexico. The largest community in this geographic area is Juluchuca, located at the mouth of the basin and comprised of approximately 700 inhabitants. The smallest community, Las Placitas, has only 65 inhabitants and is situated at the top of the basin, about twenty kilometers from the coast along a winding dirt road. Between Juluchuca and Las Placitas, there are two additional towns — Rancho Nuevo and La Ceiba — with 400 and 100 inhabitants, respectively.

A commonly used indicator in water quality analysis is the presence of coliform bacteria. Coliforms can naturally live in soil and water; however, they mostly inhabit the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals, such as humans and livestock. Generally, the presence of total coliforms and particularly the species Escherichia coli in a water sample indicates fecal contamination, making the water unfit for human consumption.

While many coliform bacteria are harmless to humans, some of them can cause diarrheal diseases and urinary tract infections, primarily in vulnerable populations such as infants, babies, and elderly individuals.

In Mexico, the Ministry of Health, through the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS), is the institution responsible for epidemiological surveillance, allowing for the monitoring of disease cases, including those linked to the consumption of contaminated water and food. According to the institution, among the bacteria causing intestinal infectious diseases in the country are coliform bacteria, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli.

Implementing a program for community monitoring of ecological quality in aquatic ecosystems that drives the generation of ideas and actions from the community to promote the conservation of ecosystems and their biodiversity. For the analysis of total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli, the R-CARD® ECC kit from Roth Bioscience, LLC is used, which allows for the quantification of the number of colonies of both types of bacteria within a 24-hour incubation period at 35 ± 0.5 °C.

In total, there are four communities with approximately 1,265 inhabitants. The residents of these four communities mainly work in agriculture and livestock farming, subsistence fishing, or in some small industries such as coconut candy factories or nearby salted fat production. Over the last decade, residents have been able to find increasingly more employment in the tourism industry as the popularity of the beaches north of Juluchuca continues to grow among national and international visitors.

Ximena Rodríguez: The new Education Coordinator, joined us in August 2022 and is responsible for rolling out the Regenerative Education curriculum in the four communities of the micro watershed. Over the past year she has dedicated her time to presenting herself and getting to know the special traits of each community so she can better understand the needs of the students and how to inspire them. As part of our regenerative education curriculum, you can find her in the communities teaching English classes, engaging in sports, and promoting outdoor activities for the students, organizing immersive learning field trips and training other teachers.

Maestro Belén

We´re happy to report that Maestro Belén continued to work with us thanks to a generous guest donation that covered his salary. He taught and supported the students of the community of Las Placitas, the community located in the highest part of the Juluchuca micro watershed. As a local to this community, Maestro Belén served as an incredible example to the students of what can be achieved with hard work and dedication. He works to greatly support the Education Node, strengthen the bond with the communities and develop the objectives of the year.

In response to the community's request, experts were accompanied in water monitoring exercises. This document provides a synthesis of the microbiological analysis conducted, prepared in response to the interest of the basin's residents, who use river water for consumption, domestic, and economic activities.

According to the Official Mexican Standard NOM-127-SSA-2021, which establishes water quality criteria for human consumption and use, water must not contain any CFU (Colony Forming Units) of fecal coliforms or Escherichia coli per 100 mL of water to be suitable. Some studies, such as those by Janke et al. (2016), suggest that water for recreational activities should have fewer than 2,000 CFU of total coliforms per 100 mL of water and fewer than 200 CFU of Escherichia coli per 100 mL of water. Additionally, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recommends that water for livestock consumption should have fewer than 5,000 CFU of total coliforms per 100 mL of water and no CFU of Escherichia coli to prevent gastrointestinal illnesses (Pfost et al., 2001).

While a comprehensive analysis of all physicochemical parameters integrated into water monitoring is required to make a global interpretation of the river's condition, this preliminary analysis reflects that all evaluated sites show fecal contamination. This indicates a failure to comply with established recommendations to prevent health hazards for individuals, many of whom use water for direct consumption and/or domestic and economic activities. For drinking water, it is suggested to treat water prior to use. The Ministry of Health and COFEPRIS recommend boiling water for at least 5 minutes, as well as adding a drop of colloidal silver or two drops of chlorine per liter of water.

Participating in a 9-month virtual support program would be invaluable for my professional development and the successful implementation of my solution. Tailored capacity-building workshops, leadership training, and access to in-kind resources would be crucial to strengthen my skills and gain the necessary knowledge to effectively address the challenge at hand.

Furthermore, the opportunity to connect and establish relationships with impressive peers who act as a reliable support group would be an invaluable source of inspiration and guidance. Support for monitoring and evaluation would also be essential to ensure that my project has a measurable and meaningful impact on the community I seek to serve.

Joining Solve's powerful network of impact-minded leaders across all sectors would be a unique opportunity to collaborate, learn, and grow alongside other change agents committed to solving global challenges.

My application to Solve is based on my firm conviction that I have a viable and meaningful solution to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time. I am committed to working tirelessly to implement this solution and contribute positively to the change we wish to see in the world.

Our solution stands out for its innovative approach to promoting conservation in the Juluchuca watershed through community water monitoring and active community participation.

We rely on the active participation of local communities rather than solely depending on external experts. By involving local residents in idea generation and action, we foster a sense of ownership and responsibility for the natural resources in their environment.

We utilize accessible and low-cost technologies for monitoring water quality and other ecological parameters.

By empowering local communities to monitor and manage their own natural resources, our solution promotes a sense of empowerment and autonomy among residents. This not only strengthens communities' capacity to address environmental challenges but also fosters greater commitment and responsibility towards long-term conservation efforts.

Our solution aims to address the conservation problem of the Juluchuca micro-watershed in Guerrero, Mexico, through three key pillars: community awareness, local empowerment, and multisectoral collaboration.

We expect our solution to have a positive impact on the conservation issue of the Juluchuca micro-watershed by increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of these ecosystems, empowering local communities to manage their own natural resources sustainably, and fostering multisectoral collaboration to address environmental challenges comprehensively and effectively.

Our impact objectives for this solution are as follows:

1. Implement an effective community water monitoring program in the Juluchuca micro-watershed in Guerrero, Mexico.
2. Actively involve local communities, including Juluchuca, Las Placitas, Rancho Nuevo, and La Ceiba, in generating ideas and actions for water conservation.
3. Improve community understanding and awareness of the importance of conserving aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity.
4. Foster collaboration among different stakeholders, including local authorities, non-governmental organizations, and academics, to address environmental challenges comprehensively and sustainably.

To measure our progress towards these impact objectives, we will implement a series of indicators and tracking metrics, including:

• Number of participating communities in the community monitoring program.
• Active participation of community members in generating ideas and actions for conservation.
• Improvements in water quality and other ecological parameters measured through monitoring.
• Level of community knowledge and awareness of ecosystem conservation and biodiversity issues, assessed through surveys and interviews.
• Establishment of partnerships and collaborations with key stakeholders in the region to address environmental challenges comprehensively.

Through the collection and analysis of these data, we will continuously evaluate our progress towards our impact objectives and adjust our strategy as needed to maximize our effectiveness in promoting the conservation of aquatic ecosystems in the Juluchuca micro-watershed.

The project utilizes a specific technology for the microbiological analysis of water, which is crucial for evaluating its quality and safety for human consumption and other activities. The technology employed is the R-CARD® ECC kit from Roth Bioscience, LLC.

This kit enables the quantification of the number of colonies of total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli present in water samples. These types of bacteria are common indicators of fecal contamination, which can render the water unfit for human consumption. By analyzing these bacteria, crucial information about the microbiological quality of the water and its suitability for consumption and other domestic and economic activities is obtained.

The analysis process involves incubating water samples for 24 hours at a specific temperature (35 ±0.5 °C) and then using the kit to quantify the number of bacterial colonies present in 100 mL of water.

This technology is essential for quickly and accurately assessing water quality, allowing for appropriate measures to be taken to ensure the safety and health of local communities that depend on water from the watershed for their daily activities. Furthermore, by providing concrete and quantifiable results, this technology facilitates informed decision-making and the implementation of specific actions to address any identified microbiological water contamination issues during monitoring.

Full-time: 1 person Part-time: 4 people

1 year

Your team comprises individuals from diverse backgrounds. We come from different states in Mexico and also from foreign countries. However, what enriches our fieldwork the most is the exchange of knowledge and experiences with the local people in the communities. During the monitoring process, they accompanied us, learned alongside us, and, most importantly, shared stories and wisdom they have gained from the stream that has been close to them from childhood to adulthood.

Spaces for exchanging experiences and knowledge are varied. They can range from the wilderness to the community center, from the eco-hotel Playa Viva to the schools. In each space, we invite everyone to sit in a circle so that each person's voice is heard and their knowledge is acknowledged. During these discussions, the locals of each community take center stage. In this way, the results obtained from the biological samples take on a social significance because they are not just scientific data but also reflect the practices of daily life in the community.

Our business model revolves around providing community water monitoring services, aiming to deliver both social impact and financial sustainability.

Key Customers and Beneficiaries:

1. Communities: We serve rural communities in the Juluchuca micro-basin in Guerrero, Mexico, as well as other similar areas. These communities benefit from improved access to clean water and increased awareness of water quality issues.
2. Funders and Donors: Our project attracts funders and donors interested in supporting environmental conservation and community empowerment initiatives.

Products/Services:

• Community Water Monitoring: We offer a comprehensive water monitoring program, utilizing innovative technologies and community engagement strategies.
• Capacity Building: We provide training and capacity-building workshops for local residents to participate in water monitoring activities and become advocates for environmental conservation.
• Data Analysis and Reporting: We analyze water quality data and generate reports to inform decision-making and raise awareness about environmental issues.

Delivery:

• Collaborative Partnerships: We collaborate with local organizations, government agencies, and international partners to implement our water monitoring program effectively.
• Community Engagement: We engage directly with community members through workshops, meetings, and outreach activities to ensure their active participation and ownership of the project.

Value Proposition:

• Improved Water Quality: Our services contribute to the improvement of water quality in rural communities, enhancing public health and environmental sustainability.
• Empowerment and Capacity Building: By involving local residents in the monitoring process, we empower them to take ownership of environmental issues and advocate for sustainable practices.
• Funding Opportunities: Funders and donors are attracted to our project due to its potential for positive social and environmental impact, providing financial support to sustain our activities.

Overall, our business model focuses on delivering valuable services that address pressing environmental challenges while fostering community engagement and empowerment. Through this approach, we create social value for the populations we serve while also attracting financial support to ensure the sustainability of our efforts.

The community water monitoring project is a model developed by the Fund for Environmental Communication and Education (FCEA), through Playa Viva. A formal agreement was established with FCEA, dividing the project model's payment into 10 installments. In December, we covered 2 of those installments through a donation from Lynn Nordstrom. In February of this year, we received another donation from Philippa Von K. (she preferred to make the donation anonymously, so discretion is requested), which covers the total of two more installments of the project.

Currently, we have applied to various grant calls in order to cover the remaining payments. Simultaneously, we continue to present the project to different funders who are interested in supporting community monitoring through small or medium-sized donations.