Project: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Freshwater Program – Mexico

Sponsor: Judy Takats and Ignacio Mora, WWF Mexico

Team Members: Sonja Loy, Taylor Pinkerton, Keeley Wagner and Paola Puente

Faculty Advisors: Dr. Rabi Mohtar

The WWF and the Gonzalo Rio Arronte Foundation (FGRA) formed the WWF-FGRA Alliance (Alliance) to develop new models of water management in Mexico. The Alliance works with civil society, governments, companies and water users to store and retrieve water for people and ecosystems, with the goal of ensuring future availability of safe water, especially in the face of a changing climate. WWF requested assistance in designing and implementing inexpensive technologies as a means of meeting wastewater treatment objectives and improving water quality without creating additional problems for wildlife. The project will provide cleaner, safer water for the rural areas of Copalita-Zimatán-Huatulco (CZH) River.

Specific objectives for the team are to design a rainwater harvesting system and effective filtration method for CBTA92, as well as to offer suggestions for wastewater management alternatives to the CBTA92.  The team is also asked to provide suggestions for improvements to the Biofilter at EST131.  They will design a rainwater harvesting plan (see schematic).  The team will provide potable water using a biosand filter + UV (see schematic 2) with an RO alternative, offering both slow sand and rapid sand alternatives. Greywater treatment will use bio sand filters.  By semester end, the team will provide necessary drawings, calculations, and specifications for a roof rainwater catchment system and two biosand filters at CBTA92. A final report detailing designs, drawings and specifications and additional suggestions for schools will be provided, together with construction and maintenance manuals for designs in both English and Spanish.