The small family of Saloy in Guatemala prayed for this day. Water has sprung up in the area for the first time in 12 years. Villagers cried tears of joy, danced and even set off fireworks. Drinking water was available only by collecting rainwater or paying exorbitant fees to have it delivered by truck. Clothes were not washed often. Basic hygiene was minimal. Hydration was impaired.

That was until Auburn engineers intervened last summer.

The students designed a concrete trough to collect water from a nearby spring and a three-kilometre water distribution network that would take the river directly to people 500 meters downstream. Tears flowed. Water flowed.

Auburn is just being Auburn.

“I looked around and all the students were in tears, including me,” Christian Brodbeck said. Director of Engineering Research Operations and supervisor Auburn University Engineering Without Borders Student ChapterAn annual project in Guatemala. “It was a very emotional moment. Seeing the joy in others. Watching them sing praises. That's the moment that defines why you're here.

“As engineers, we have the knowledge to apply what we've learned to implement projects like this and help people, and that gives us responsibility. Here in the United States, we have access to clean water, food, , we take for granted access to basic necessities of housing. Then we visit communities like these and witness the struggles. We are ready to help solve those problems. Masu.”

Founded in 2014, Auburn EWB brings together students from all engineering disciplines to plan, develop, and implement projects that help meet basic needs in selected communities in Latin America and South America. Masu.

Under its parent organization, EWB-USA, Auburn EWB is on pace to complete one project per year at EWB-USA's annual conference, held Nov. 9-11 in Reno, Nevada. It was one of six out of 230 university chapters recognized for its fast efforts. .

Auburn EWB has 60 active student members who are advised by faculty in the Samuel Ginn School of Engineering, including Mr. Brodbeck, assistant professor in the Samuel Ginn School of Engineering. mechanical engineering Tom Birch (Bolivia), Associate Professor Civil and environmental engineering Mr. Jose Vasconcelos (Guatemala), Mr. Joseph Ragan (Bolivia), lecturer in mechanical engineering, and Mr. Jack Montgomery (Bolivia), associate professor of civil and environmental engineering.

“A life-changing experience”

This summer, Saroj GuatemalaKesimpko, Bolivia, improved water and irrigation systems were provided. In the summer of 2024, the student team will return to the Bolivian village of Pararia in the Andes Mountains and visit the Guatemalan village of Seo.

“Engineers Without Borders is a life-changing experience,” said college senior Anne Inskeep. biological systems engineering EWB's vice president of internal affairs spent nearly two weeks in the summers of 2022 and 2023 rebuilding irrigation lines in Bolivia's interior. “It's hard to explain the feeling. It's something else to work on a project for a year and then actually see it in your hands. Meeting the members of the community, getting to know them and shaking their hands. It was such an amazing moment. The combination of the beauty of the landscape, our efforts and the results that brought tears to the villagers is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

“There's nothing that embodies the feeling of being there, experiencing the people and the community,” said Emily Skowronek, a senior mechanical engineering student who served as EWB's fundraising chair and participated in EWB's Guatemala project. Told.

“Hearing the stories of the villagers and experiencing their gratitude for our work that changed their lives changed me forever,” she said. “You can go there and see our pictures and hear our stories, but until you get up there and experience it, you don't understand how important this work is.

“I will never forget the locals praying in their native language. It was so beautiful and even though I couldn’t understand the language, I could feel their compassion and gratitude throughout the room. participated in a workshop where local residents talked about what water meant to them. It meant things like health and life. One woman even said that we are a gift from God. .”

More than 100 Guatemalan homes will now have clean tap water

EWB team members are already hard at work preparing for next year's trip. Make a plan. Brainstorm fresh ideas. Procurement of equipment.

Last August, a team of EWB students investigated the water situation in Seo, Guatemala. Situation – Similar to Saroj, villagers do not have a reliable or operational water distribution system.

Water is sent through a gravity-fed pipeline to a chlorination tank and then distributed to the community, delivering clean water directly to approximately 110 households. Each home has a faucet that provides access to safe water when needed for cooking, washing, bathing, drinking, and more.

“Xeo is a very steep hill, so we had to design the system for an elevation change of about 300 meters, or nearly 1,000 feet,” Skovronek says. “Once the design is complete here, the team plans to travel to Guatemala and use funds raised throughout the year to purchase equipment such as PVC and concrete. They will then begin implementing the design. Community members always They have been very helpful and are equally eager to complete the project. Travel members and local residents will work together to dig the trench for the pipeline, glue the PVC and install the tank.”

Improving crop irrigation at risk in Paralia, Bolivia

Bolivia's Paralia problem: Improperly constructed water systems led to massive water losses. EWB Return – 12 times^th In August 2024, we will continue to rebuild the water network to strengthen irrigation and hydroponic systems, solar showers, etc. EWB previously constructed a cement water collection tank to hold water at the top (highest point) of the spring. Next summer, a three-kilometre-long pipe will carry water downhill to its designed target.

“Our Bolivian team is unique because we use high-density polyethylene pipes,” Inkeep said. “In the United States, we have complex ways to connect these pipes, but the foundation of EWB is to create simple solutions to life's most common problems. We conducted a series of tests to determine how to connect the pipes. In the end, we decided that the best way to do it was to use a paint can of hot boiling vegetable oil and a tailpipe expander. Clamps and barb couplings are used to secure pipes. The community loved it. We're always bringing new technology to the community, which always changes their world.”

Irrigation lines are important not only for water consumption in Paralia, but also for crop rotation. Corn, beans, tomatoes and potatoes are the most prominent there, and Brodbeck noted that farmers are looking to new ideas such as flowers to increase profits.

I'll help you too

Rebuilding water distribution systems in remote areas is not without its challenges. Machines break down, long hours are worked, and showers are few if any. It's not without cost either. The materials used to build water systems (rebar, concrete, PVC, etc.) can be expensive, not to mention transportation costs. EWB has set a fundraising goal of $150,000 to cover both service trips.

“We raise all the money ourselves, and that money goes directly to our projects,” Skovronek said. “No one in this organization benefits financially from it. It is purely volunteer-based, which is why fundraising is so important to the survival of our chapter and our work. .

“Currently, we are encouraging our members to raise $100 each. All EWB members have the same passion for the club and are committed to helping us accomplish our mission and help others It's heartwarming to see how the club continues to help others. It's amazing how much our chapter has been able to raise so far, but these projects… It’s still a drop in the bucket compared to the fundraising we need to keep going.”

While corporate gifts and sponsorships provide a boost, EWB continues to raise other means to cover significant costs.annual water cycle Registration is now open for the 15-, 30- and 60-mile benefit bike race to be held March 23 at Martin Dam on Lake Martin near Dadeville. Entrance fees will directly support the costs of next summer's drinking water and irrigation projects in Bolivia and Guatemala.

“Our students are amazing,” Brodbeck said. “They raised money. They did the design work. They put together a report and did the construction on site. I got to work with the students and watch them grow into engineers. I'm very happy, but more importantly, I want to grow into a better person.”