Water Supply and Treatment Design in Rural Belize: A Participatory Approach to Engineering Action Research

As part of a long term engagement in a rural community in western Belize, students responded to community leaders' requests for an investigation of possible solutions to their water quality and supply problems. A student research team comprised of engineering and humanities students aimed to employ participatory action research methods to further understand existing challenges and develop a prototype for a water treatment and supply system. After careful analysis of local resources and constraints, the team decided that the most successful solution would combine the use of biofilters to purify the public spring water supply and improved rainwater collection to make use of the extensive storm season. An integrated prototype of these systems was built at the village government school with the purpose of serving as a model for replication in households throughout the village. In a discussion of the team's methods and reflections, this paper emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between making a design both relevant to the community and technologically successful.