Team 2 arrives in Apatut

We arrived in Apatut at about 5 pm on a Monday night, after almost 36 hours of travel to get there (we had a brief respite in Manila between the 3-leg 24-hour flight and the 9 hour bus ride from Manila to Apatut).  Upon arrival, we learned just how busy Team 1 had been!  After a brief rundown of what had been completed to-date, we opted to split the team into two parts, with Steve, Anne-Marie, and Tiffini continuing with the community survey and Bob and Stephanie working on investigating potential water sources, including meeting well drillers, the local Balaoan Water District, and investigating wells in the community and the EWB drilled well.  

As previously mentioned, a water column was identified in the EWB well and was actually measured to be about 120 feet long (from approximately 10 to 50 meters below ground surface).  A recovery test was completed for the EWB-drilled well following the removal of approximately 6 feet of water column (removal was limited due to available equipment).  The well exhibited 'ideal', although slow, recharge, suggesting the potential for a sustainable yield for water supply.  Upon removal of piping, it was observed that the piping was covered with bentonite (a drilling material), suggesting that the well had not been properly developed.  

Villagers making pumping apparatus

The team collectively visited a neighboring spring site.  The site is owned and operated by the Balaoan Water District and, therefore, cannot be used as a water source for Apatut.  It was, however, a good opportunity to see and document the water source, and the visit cleared up some confusion about the spring based on previous trips.  

Spring Site

After Team 1 left, Team 2 completed additional sampling of the original locations for physical/chemical parameters and sampled the EWB well and all three wells at the school for biological, chemical, and physical parameters.  The results of the sampling confirm biological contamination and also identified some metals impacts above Philippine National Standards; these will need to be considered during the design phase.  As a result of interviewing several farmers in the community, EWB confirmed the use of herbicides and pesticides containing volatile and semi-volatile organics; this confirms the need for sampling of these parameters and EWB has been working to contract a lab with these testing capabilities in-country (only one lab has been identified to date).

Tiffini with sampling apparatus for the EWB well

Post-community meeting with volunteers

We also developed a detailed map of the school, canvassed materials suppliers in San Fernando, completed a chlorine treatment test, completed the community survey, and held community meetings.  

Tiffini scoping out a residential well

When all was said and done, EWB canvassed all occupied households in the community (over 175!) and was able to create a detailed map of the community identifying all relevant features including houses, latrines, wells, garbage pits, agricultural fields, roadways, etc.  EWB is working with a local college to have these locations surveyed and a to-scale map developed.  This was a huge undertaking and will be pivotal in our ongoing design efforts.