Group Project Proposal - Bren School of Environmental Science ...

Group Project Proposal
1. Title:
Design and Implementation of Sustainable Water Resources Programs in San
Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas
2. Proposers:
Karen Setty 1 , Deborah Glaser 1 , and Arturo Keller 2
1 MESM Students, Bren School, UCSB
2 Associate Professor, Bren School, UCSB
3. Bren School Faculty sponsor:
Arturo Keller
4. Proposed project:
A. Problem statement:
The city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, located in the central highlands of
Chiapas, Mexico is a cultural and economic center for a predominantly rural
population of descendents of the Mayan culture. The city has recently
experienced major population expansion, caused in part by sociopolitical
upheaval over the past two decades that has brought many peasants into the
city. Today, the water supply in San Cristóbal is insufficient to meet the
needs of the growing population, especially in the periphery of the city where
water infrastructure is inadequate. Programs emphasizing sustainable water
resource solutions for this region are vital in maintaining a healthy and
functional community.
B. Project objectives:
• Develop and implement a long-term water quality monitoring program;
• Create a program to educate community members on the effects of poor
sanitation and contaminated drinking water;
• Implement a small-scale pilot project for water and wastewater
treatment.
C. Project significance:
In addition to the educational value to Bren School MESM students, the
project represents continued commitment to addressing a major problem for
a community of about 130,000 people in Mexico. Programs developed for
San Cristóbal de las Casas can be extended to other regions facing similar
water resource problems. The project also provides an international scope
for MESM students, and international exposure for the Bren School.

D. Background information:
The Mexican state of Chiapas is home to one of the highest concentrations
of indigenous populations in the Americas (Figure 1). According to the 2000
census, 25% percent of the population in Chiapas speaks an indigenous
tongue as their primary language, compared to the national average of 5%
(INEGI, 2005). Chiapas is one of the poorest states in Mexico. Mortality
rates in children under 5 are additionally the highest of any state in Mexico
(INSP, 2000).
Over the last decade, a large number of indigenous people from the
highlands of Chiapas have concentrated along the periphery of the urban
center, San Cristóbal, and now exert a strain on the city’s tenuous
infrastructure. It is estimated that more than 40,000 of the current 132,000
inhabitants of the city were displaced from their rural communities and are
currently residing along the periphery in neighborhoods that are collectively
referred to as “the belt of misery.” Although many of these people were
displaced by civil unrest, they will probably stay in San Cristóbal, since they
also seek employment to have a more stable income.
The combination of diminished spring water supplies and population
growth has caused extreme inadequacies in the potable water supply to the
city of San Cristóbal. Currently, the city's water supply is so overtaxed that
the operators are forced to alternate flow to different neighborhoods
throughout the course of the day. In the poorest neighborhoods, the public
spigot is left wide open, with buckets stacked nearby. When the water starts
gushing from the spigot the call is raised and everyone races to fill their
buckets. It’s not uncommon that this occurs in the late night and early
morning.
Currently, wastewater in the city is not treated. The primary rivers, the
Río Amarillo and Río Fogotico, are heavily contaminated with raw sewage and
sediments (SAPAM, 2003). These waters are used below the city for
agriculture – mainly fruits and berries that are sold in San Cristóbal and
other parts of Mexico. In the low-lying areas of the basin, groundwater is
found less than 50 cm below the soil. The proximity of this water to the
surface has caused widespread contamination with pathogens, among other
contaminants. Population growth also increases the concentration of
pathogenic organisms. It is common knowledge in the city that this water
will make you sick, and it is not considered potable by the residents.
F. Stakeholders:
SYJAC – Skolta'el Yu'un Jlumaltic, A.C. is a nonprofit organization based in
Mexico, whose objective is to support community building and improved life
quality in the indigenous communities around San Cristóbal. SYJAC regularly
participates in the execution of sustainable works projects in indigenous
communities, including potable water supply and auto-digesting latrines.
SYJAC has a working relationship with Habitat for Humanity. URL:
http://www.syjac.org

ECOSUR, Chiapas – ECOSUR (El Colegio de la Frontera Sur) is a publicly
chartered research institution providing research and post-graduate
education focused primarily on the development and linkage of Mexico's
southern-most states. ECOSUR maintains five campuses, including a campus
in San Cristóbal. Two hydrologists, Duncan Goliche and Jesus Carmona
participate as contacts and members in the SHR Partnership. URL:
http://www.ecosur.mx
City of San Cristóbal – In 2004 several organizations recognized a common
concern for sustainable water resources management in the city of San
Cristóbal and rural periphery. The organizations formed a partnership, the
San Cristóbal Hydro-Resources Partnership (SHRP) with the collective goal of
investigating the water cycle in San Cristóbal and developing a plan for
sustainable use and urban growth within the basin. By combining the
resources and capacities of the member institutions, the Partnership is in the
best possible position to rigorously study the system, define needs of the
population, and affect policy change that is rooted upon a scientific
understanding of system and focused ideal of sustainability. The
participating entities include research universities, community-based
nonprofit organizations, and a government-chartered citizen advisory board.
G. Approach:
Students applying to this group project should have a working
understanding of the Spanish language. A primary resource available to
students will be the sustainable watershed management plan created
through the class of 2006 group project: Developing a sustainable water
resources management plan for San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas.
Recommendations from this source, along with additional research into
appropriate technologies, will provide the basis for design of a small-scale
water treatment demonstration project. If funding becomes available,
materials may be purchased for project members to assist in building the
system and training local community members to maintain it.
Educational materials linking water quality and human health will be
developed as well. These should cover simple hygiene and sanitation
measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of waterborne diseases. The
program will be primarily targeted towards elementary school-aged children,
and lessons designed with the intention that children disseminate information
to family, friends and neighbors. SYJAC partners are expected to utilize
these materials in community outreach.
A water quality monitoring plan covering broadly the city’s watershed
would indicate where existing problems are being corrected by management
policies, while revealing emergent changes that may require adaptive
management. Sites for monitoring may be determined using available GIS
data and an on-site field survey. Measurement of water quality parameters
and flow data will need to utilize appropriate, available, and cost-effective
technologies. Problems with sustaining the monitoring program over a long
period of time will need to be specifically addressed. ECOSUR partners are
likely to be involved in data processing and reporting.

H. Deliverables:
• Materials for water treatment pilot project and maintenance instructions.
• Educational materials including worksheets, fact sheets and lesson
plans.
• Directions for long-term water resource monitoring methods and
mapped sampling locations.
I. References:
Consejo Consultivo de SAPAM, (September, 2003). El Tachilguil.
[Newsletter], San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
Instituto Nacional de Estadística Geografía e Informática [INEGI] (2005).
Online: URL: http://www.inegi.gob.mx
Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica. http://www.ins.gob.pe (2000)
5. Client:
ECOSUR – primary contact is Jesus Carmona
6. Anticipated Financial Needs:
$1,000/person for trip and supplies x 6 students
$1,000 for water quality testing supplies
Total: approx. $7,000
Potential Sources of Support:
MESM group project allocated funds – $1,100
UC MEXUS Grants (http://ucmexus.ucr.edu/) – The UC MEXUS grant
program provides seed funding for research in collaboration with Mexican
agencies and institutions to enhance ongoing research and education
programs at UC and in Mexico. Previous year’s group project received
$14,000 in funding. (Will apply for a renewal grant March 27 th , 2006).
Environmental Resources Management (www.erm.com) – One of the Bren
School’s corporate partners, ERM is a provider of environmental consulting
services. The firm has offices in 37 countries, working globally and locally
providing solutions for a wide range of specific environmental needs. ERM
delivers innovative solutions for business and government clients, assisting
them in managing their environmental and related risks. Previous year’s
group project received $4,000 from the ERM Foundation, and we will request
funding for this year.

Appendix:
Figure 1: Location and primary waterways of San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas,
Mexico. Source: INEGI, URL: http://www.inegi.gob.mx.