Wednesday, January 28, 2009

19th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee

Record of Meeting pg 1 of 2
19th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee

Where: El Presidencia at the Municipal Buildings on the road to Queretaro.
When: 28th January 2009 11.30 – 2.30
Who: Enrique Nunez (director), Don Patterson & Julio (ecology dept), Rafael (brother of Jose Miguel – Delegado Los Torres Community), The delegado & 3 women from Montecillo de Nieto Community. Miguel Ramirez (Desarrollo Social), Holly Yasui (Cedesa), Enrique Orvananos & Laura Stewart (San Miguel Midday Rotary Club),

Purpose of the meeting: to follow up on the previous meeting held 19th Nov 2008 – to discuss community issues including the supply of safe drinking water.

Ecology reported that the Sapasma well had been drilled to a level of 180mtrs.
Ecology dept has carried out preliminary water testing & discovered that the water from the new well contains 2.0mg/l (the allowable level is 1.5mg/l) of fluoride.

The tests are not exact yet as the water is too turbid. Don Patterson is planning to carry out further testing in 3 months when the water has settled.

Testing has also been carried out in the past on the shallow well that is approx 1 hr’s walk from LT. It is also high in fluoride.

Don explained the implications of high fluoride levels to the communities. The damage it does to the teeth & skeletal system as well as other symptoms. They had not heard of this before (except Rafael as LT had previously been advised of the fluoride contamination in their family wells.

Enrique N. spoke to the communities to tell them of the many programs available to them from the various govt departments. Including:
• Reforestation project – members of the community are eligible to receive the average daily wage plus free trees, for the planting in their area. They need to contact Don at Ecology re this program.
• The local govt. is planning to build a road through the back way from LT/Montecillo de Nieto to SMA – if the communities work together to create a committee they can represent themselves to the govt & will be favourably received.
• Montecillo Sports teams are now winning (thanks to assistance) & Enrique N wants the same for LT.
• They need to work together as there are funds available for work & materials, especially provided in programs by the govt. to assist men returning from the USA without work.

Montecillo community members raised the issue of rubbish being thrown into their river by weekend ‘tourists’ that come for the free hotsprings. They have approached them many times to take their rubbish with them but no one is listening.
Action Ecology pledged to send inspectors for 4 weekends & also to deputise the women of the community so that they can be ‘community inspectors’

Miguel Ramirez of Desarollo urbano (urban development) has been visiting the communities in the region, to ask them their priorities regarding issues they have.
Following are a sample of the issues he has discovered:
• no toilets
• contamination from lack of sanitation
• lack of water



Record of Meeting pg 2 of 2
19th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee


He said that Ecology had made some promises about building dry toilets for some of these communities but that had not happened yet. Ecology said they don’t have the budget for it right now.

Miguel is gathering statistics on requirements & will then present a needs analysis.

One of the communities he visited is collecting plastics & batteries & other recyclables for recycling. All communities could be doing this. They will receive a small amount in compensation from the recycling program on Libramiento Dolores.

To summarise:
The various govt. departments have many programs available to the people, but first the communities must mobilise themselves.
A good website that lists these programs is www.sedesol.gob.mx

Contact numbers:
Enrique Núñez Martínez
Secretario Técnico

Circuito Escolar S/N
Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán
CP 04510 México D.F.
014611335221
ID 52*270690*2
enrique_nunezm@yahoo.com.mx
His phone number at the Presidencia is: 152-9600 ext 147

Miguel Angel Ramirez Desarollo Social & Urbano
Tel 415 112 62221/ oficina 120 4330 & 4331

Rafael Los Torres Community representative Cel 415 100 9482

Next meeting scheduled for 25 Feb 11am.

19th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee

Record of Meeting pg 1 of 2
19th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee

Where: El Presidencia at the Municipal Buildings on the road to Queretaro.
When: 28th January 2009 11.30 – 2.30
Who: Enrique Nunez (director), Don Patterson & Julio (ecology dept), Rafael (brother of Jose Miguel – Delegado Los Torres Community), The delegado & 3 women from Montecillo de Nieto Community. Miguel Ramirez (Desarrollo Social), Holly Yasui (Cedesa), Enrique Orvananos & Laura Stewart (San Miguel Midday Rotary Club),

Purpose of the meeting: to follow up on the previous meeting held 19th Nov 2008 – to discuss community issues including the supply of safe drinking water.

Ecology reported that the Sapasma well had been drilled to a level of 180mtrs.
Ecology dept has carried out preliminary water testing & discovered that the water from the new well contains 2.0mg/l (the allowable level is 1.5mg/l) of fluoride.

The tests are not exact yet as the water is too turbid. Don Patterson is planning to carry out further testing in 3 months when the water has settled.

Testing has also been carried out in the past on the shallow well that is approx 1 hr’s walk from LT. It is also high in fluoride.

Don explained the implications of high fluoride levels to the communities. The damage it does to the teeth & skeletal system as well as other symptoms. They had not heard of this before (except Rafael as LT had previously been advised of the fluoride contamination in their family wells.

Enrique N. spoke to the communities to tell them of the many programs available to them from the various govt departments. Including:
• Reforestation project – members of the community are eligible to receive the average daily wage plus free trees, for the planting in their area. They need to contact Don at Ecology re this program.
• The local govt. is planning to build a road through the back way from LT/Montecillo de Nieto to SMA – if the communities work together to create a committee they can represent themselves to the govt & will be favourably received.
• Montecillo Sports teams are now winning (thanks to assistance) & Enrique N wants the same for LT.
• They need to work together as there are funds available for work & materials, especially provided in programs by the govt. to assist men returning from the USA without work.

Montecillo community members raised the issue of rubbish being thrown into their river by weekend ‘tourists’ that come for the free hotsprings. They have approached them many times to take their rubbish with them but no one is listening.
Action Ecology pledged to send inspectors for 4 weekends & also to deputise the women of the community so that they can be ‘community inspectors’

Miguel Ramirez of Desarollo urbano (urban development) has been visiting the communities in the region, to ask them their priorities regarding issues they have.
Following are a sample of the issues he has discovered:
• no toilets
• contamination from lack of sanitation
• lack of water



Record of Meeting pg 2 of 2
19th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee


He said that Ecology had made some promises about building dry toilets for some of these communities but that had not happened yet. Ecology said they don’t have the budget for it right now.

Miguel is gathering statistics on requirements & will then present a needs analysis.

One of the communities he visited is collecting plastics & batteries & other recyclables for recycling. All communities could be doing this. They will receive a small amount in compensation from the recycling program on Libramiento Dolores.

To summarise:
The various govt. departments have many programs available to the people, but first the communities must mobilise themselves.
A good website that lists these programs is www.sedesol.gob.mx



Contact numbers:
Enrique Núñez Martínez
Secretario Técnico

Circuito Escolar S/N
Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán
CP 04510 México D.F.
014611335221
ID 52*270690*2
enrique_nunezm@yahoo.com.mx
His phone number at the Presidencia is: 152-9600 ext 147

Miguel Angel Ramirez Desarollo Social & Urbano
Tel 415 112 62221/ oficina 120 4330 & 4331

Rafael Los Torres Community representative Cel 415 100 9482

Next meeting scheduled for 25 Feb 11am.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

18th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project

Record of Meeting pg 1 of 2
18th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee

Where: Part I – El Cortijo Hotel at the turnoff & Part II at Los Torres Community –School kitchen
When: 22nd January 2009 10-11am & 12 – 1.45pm
Who: Part I – Holly, Chela & Benigno – CEDESA, Bob & Laura (Rotary).
Part II - Jose Miguel (delegado), Magdalena, Hilaria, Ma (delegada), & other commuinity members. 39 women, 2 men & 7 kids. Following is a summary I created by email on 23.1.09 for the records.

From: Laura
Date: Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Subject: Update re community meeting at Los Torres of 22.1.09
To: Gary
Cc: Bob , Holly

Hi Gary & Bill
Here´s an update, summary of the meeting yesterday.

There were some interesting discoveries.

The meeting was well attended, there were more than 40 people there, but just short of a quorum of 45 (being that there are 91 families).

We thanked them for collecting the survey information about the families, & family groups that wanted cisterns. We explained that the information they gathered enabled us to calculate the size & quantity of cisterns required for each "family group".

They had this information about the Sapasma new well.
• the Major Jesus Correa had visited about 10days ago to celebrate the drilling of the well & that he had told them that the water was pure & perfect for drinking.
• Sapasma has not told them how much they are going to have to pay for the well
• Sapasma will return in approx 15days to begin work on providing water by pipe to each house (they don´t know the cost)
They had not been told the results of the testing by Ecology that the fluoride level is 2.0mg/l
We mentioned this to them, not wanting to discredit what the major had said, but that it was still a high level of contamination & Chela has said that they will carry out further tests at the UNAM lab. at CEDESA when they have access to the well.

Cedesa had bought sampling bottles to take water samples but the well is covered so we were unable to get a sample at this stage.

They were all very happy to be receiving water on tap (who wouldnt be?) & we wanted to clarify if this meant they would no longer be interested in participating in the construction of cisterns since they would now have a source of water (however contaminated).

They all said that that the quality of water was still important to them, & that they would be willing to participate & learn how to build the cisterns, but that there were others (not at the meeting) who may not be interested if they have water on tap.

As a result of this we decided to call another assembly for the 4th Feb at 12pm at which all of the people present will decide to be "in" or "out" of the project, & those that are "in" will commit to teams & begin the demonstation stage.

The meeting with Enrique Nuñez at the Presidencia is scheduled for 28.1.09 at 11am, I am hoping they (Sapasma & Ecology) will clarify for the community the situation regarding the water testing.

So, in summary, after the meeting on the 4th Feb we will have a definite idea of the size of the project. Until then it would be speculation.




Record of Meeting pg 2 of 2
18th Mtg of the SMA Midday Rotary Water Project Committee


Bob & Holly, please add any comments/info I may have missed.

Gary, should we advise our Rotarian partners of this update? or wait until after the meeting of the 4th Feb?