Water, Sanitation, and Development in Belize

Water practices - Belize Traditional – Rainwater collectionTraditional – Rainwater collection• above-ground tank or underground cisternabove-ground tank or underground cistern

Traditional and immigrant – hand-dug wellsTraditional and immigrant – hand-dug wells

Now – rudimentary water systemsNow – rudimentary water systems• well pumped to elevated tank (Bella Vista)well pumped to elevated tank (Bella Vista)• chlorinatedchlorinated• home storage tankshome storage tanks

Now – urbanNow – urban• river water with treatment plant (Dangriga)river water with treatment plant (Dangriga)• home storage tankshome storage tanks

Rainwater collection

Sanitation practices - Belize Pit LatrinesPit Latrines• crude hole in the ground, orcrude hole in the ground, or• tank with no bottomtank with no bottom

Find a spotFind a spot• ditchditch

Cities – sewage systems (treatment?)Cities – sewage systems (treatment?)

Bella Vista, Belize Spanish-speaking village 1 hr from DangrigaSpanish-speaking village 1 hr from Dangriga High incidence of waterborne diseasesHigh incidence of waterborne diseases• due to water? sanitation?due to water? sanitation?

– ““their practices”their practices”• public water supply from drilled well, to storage public water supply from drilled well, to storage

tank, piped to 1/3 of villagetank, piped to 1/3 of village– they prefer their own hand-dug home wells, don’t like they prefer their own hand-dug home wells, don’t like

chlorine taste of public waterchlorine taste of public water– tank filled once per day due to finances, emptied quicklytank filled once per day due to finances, emptied quickly

• open bottom septic tanks, no drainfieldsopen bottom septic tanks, no drainfields• groundwater is near surface, a real mess when in groundwater is near surface, a real mess when in

rainsrains

Bella Vista

Dangriga

Bella Vista - solution Solution is neither obvious nor simple Solution is neither obvious nor simple • Political, economic, and social issuesPolitical, economic, and social issues• what we’ll dowhat we’ll do

– health surveyhealth survey– hygiene educationhygiene education

Steadfast project Water for SteadfastWater for Steadfast• near national park (biology project)near national park (biology project)• intake at waterfall in the jungleintake at waterfall in the jungle• muddy water when it rainsmuddy water when it rains

• intake modification?intake modification?

• household filters?household filters?

• hill top clarifier?hill top clarifier?

• clarifierclarifier– enough pressure (“head”)?enough pressure (“head”)?– maintenancemaintenance– costcost

Dangriga projects DrainageDrainage• BIGBIG problem problem; difficult short-term project; difficult short-term project• obligation to mayor to do somethingobligation to mayor to do something• detailed survey would be helpfuldetailed survey would be helpful

ParksParks• playgroundsplaygrounds• tourist centertourist center

wild horses in Dangriga

Other Issues RoadsRoads• pavement and drainage helppavement and drainage help

BridgeBridge

Solid wasteSolid waste

Beach erosionBeach erosion

Questions? Questions?

Thomas SoerensThomas Soerenstsoerens@uark.edutsoerens@uark.edu

479-575-2494479-575-2494