Clean Water Initiative FAQ’s

Where does Clean Water Initiative (CWI) Work?
In 1998 in partnership with the Honduran Association of Community Water Boards (AHJASA), we began working in 17 communities in rural Honduras, and have since expanded to touch the lives of 600,000 in 650 communities in Valle, Choluteca, Yoro, Atlántida, Santa Bárbara, La Paz, Olancho, El Paraíso, Francisco Morazán, Colon, Comayagua, Lempira, Copán and Cortés.

Map of Honduras

In the year 2000, we began work with the Salvadorian Association of Community Water Boards (ASSA) in El Salvador. ASSA is now working in over 60 communities benefiting 22,500 people in Usulután, Cuscatlán, La Libertad, Cabañas, Santa Ana, Ahuachapán, Chalatenango, San Vicente and San Miguel.

Map of El Salvador

CWI is gradually expanding partnerships with organizations in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Guatemala, and various US based and International organizations working in water and sanitation projects in developing countries.

(Click maps to expand)

What is the history of the Circuit Rider Program?
The Circuit Rider is a concept borrowed from the early stages of development of the United States when judges, ministers, and doctors traveled a rural “circuit” or region administering their services to small communities. From this model, rural citizens had access to much needed services in their town rather than traveling great distances in order to receive them. In 1976, the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) adopted this model to create the current Circuit Rider Program in the USA. In 1989, the program was adapted to Honduras and in 2000 was extended to El Salvador.

 

What is the history of the Circuit Rider Program in Central America?
AHJASA (Honduran Association of Water Boards) was established as a result of a partnership between the local non-profit organization Agua Para el Pueblo (APP) from Honduras, and the International Rural Water Association (IRWA) from USA in 1989. About 17 communities organized themselves into an association to participate in the program. Within each community a Water Board was created to manage its water systems. Leaders from each water board were chosen to represent their community at the founding meeting where AHJASA was formally created. AHJASA was legally founded November 30, 1990.

 

How large is the membership and community participation?
Since 1990, when the first circuit rider was trained, over 610 communities have joined and are participating in the program across Honduras and El Salvador, and more than two hundred additional communities have been enjoying the benefits of the Program. Although these additional communities are not official members, they participate in regional meetings and trainings. As a consequence, the Circuit Rider-Clean Water Initiative partnership is providing reliable services to almost 700,000 rural inhabitants in Honduras and El Salvador.

 

Who is paying the bill?
Water services are not free. Participating communities elect a water committee or associations and collect monthly fees from locals used to ensure that water systems function properly. Service includes water piping and distribution, disinfection and technical assistance. Changes in fees depend mainly on the water system type and the number of connections. A monthly fee is usually about one to two dollars per household.

 

Who are the Circuit Riders and what are their activities?
Circuit Riders are the individuals who provide technical training, advice, and motivation for the communities participating in the Clean Water Initiative. A Circuit Rider works with 40-50 communities geographically clustered. His/her four key tasks include: 1) meeting with the community water board; 2) checking functionality of the water system; 3) double-checking financial records to keep track of the community's income and expenses; and 4) meeting with the community at large to make water committees accountable and discuss specific challenges associated with providing a sustainable water system.

 

Is the Circuit Rider model self-sustainable?
Although Circuit Rider Program depends on some external support, member’s communities pay for their own expenses in terms of operation and maintenance of their systems, providing financial sustainability in the long run. The only subsidized component of the program is the training of the water associations and purchase of water disinfecting devices.

Administrative expenses are low because water board members work on a volunteer basis, meaning that money is invested in program activities rather that expensive bureaucracy.

Another sign of sustainability is the Circuit Rider Program’s institutional structure, which functions as a federation where each department has an equal board representation.

 

Is the Circuit Rider model replicable?

Regionally, the Circuit Rider Model is highly replicable. The Circuit Rider concept was reinvented in 1976 by the National Rural Water Association (NRWA), adapted for a few states in the USA and 30 years later the model operates virtually all over the USA.

The fact that the Circuit Rider model was successfully replicated in Honduras and El Salvador shows that it can be adapted to Central America. The program is gradually expanding to other countries of the region including Colombia, Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic, showing its potential replicability in a regional that share many cultural features.

 

What is the Chlorine Bank?
The Chlorine Bank is an opportunity driven approach developed to improve the long term sustainabily of the Circuit Rider water program in the region by taking advange of the market forces. It was designed as a grocery-store-like network that provides communities with various products (water devices, chlorine, valves and others), services (installation, repair and monitoring of water devices), and technical assistance (training), specifically tailored to the needs of rural areas . Because it is run like a small scale distributor it eliminates the "middle-man", providing communities with better prices.

The Chlorine Bank does not only focus on earning revenue but emphasizes community participation and training in water system management and environmental protection. AHJASA and ASSA are the implementers of the Chlorine Bank, and the local Bank works very closely with the local community Circuit Rider.

 

Who runs the Chlorine Bank?
The Chlorine Banks are run by two partner Central American NGO's, the Honduran Association of Water Boards (AHJASA) and the El Salvador Water Association (ASSA). The Bank benefits communities by generating economic income, creating new jobs, and improving public health.

The Chlorine Bank was originally created to assist participant communities of the Circuit Rider Program in Honduras, and has evolved into a demand driven project jointly supported by profit and non-for profit organizations in a partnership fashion.

 

How does the Chlorine Bank make money?
The Chlorine Bank generates revenues by selling chlorine and simple water technology to rural communities. This technology is designed specifically for small-scale water treatment and is provided at a very low cost to communities. It allows AHJASA and ASSA the opportunity to reinvest in their projects, reducing dependence on outside support. This produces long-term sustainability and accountability before the client base. Clients are not limited to members of AHJASA or ASSA. The Banks sell their products to anyone who is in need of low-cost water and sanitation technology. Often, non-AHJASA member communities are reliant on the goods and services provided by the Chlorine Bank.