Executive Director Update: Summer 2021

Greetings 33 Buckets Community,

This is Danny, Executive Director of 33 Buckets. I am excited to share with you our first Executive Director Update of the summer. This update will include real-time progress on our work, straight from the source. Currently, I’m writing to you from Cusco, Peru where we are working in collaboration with our local partner Sustainable Development Studies (SDS) and the Municipality of Ccorca to create district-wide access to clean water. Continue reading to get caught up on our key initiatives.

Our community partner, SDS, is invaluable to the implementation process.

Executive Director Danny Hoop helping with implementation of our prototyped chlorine disinfection system.

Human-Centered Design: SICLOP III

Since our inception, we have implemented a variety of water treatment solutions from person filters to school-based filtration units to community-wide treatment systems. In the past 6 months, we’ve invested our time and energy into creating a low-cost disinfection system capable of community-wide treatment using only locally available parts. Together with our community partner, SDS, we are developing our very own chlorine disinfection system, known as the SICLOP: Sistema de Cloro Peruano. After multiple rounds of user feedback, rapid testing, and design improvements, our team is now entering the final stage of prototype development: the SICLOP III. Our vision of creating a low-cost, off-grid, user-friendly treatment system is closer than ever. We are extremely excited for the potential of this technology and our human-centered approach to empower individuals and communities to achieve prosperity through clean water.

33 Buckets’ prototype of a low-cost, off-grid, user-friendly system - SICLOP III.

Collaboration: SDS & Municipality of Ccorca

Our partnership with SDS is key to maintaining our water projects in Ccorca.

33 Buckets was founded as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2017 with the goal of implementing self-sustaining clean water solutions that create lasting, multi-generational impact. We look further than just the technical side of water management to understand the lifestyle, economies, and environmental influences within each of our partner communities. To accomplish this, we’ve focused on developing strong partnerships that transcend languages, political boundaries, and sectors (private, government, and non-profit).

Here in Cusco, we are strengthening these partnerships to ensure that we’re creating the lasting impact that 33 Buckets was founded for. Specifically, we’re formalizing our relationship with our local partner Sustainable Development Studies. These exceptional individuals are an essential part of the work we do in Peru. From identifying ideal partner communities/districts to supporting the acquisition of local materials, SDS is a testament to the necessity for local partnerships. In 2020, we connected with Mayor Wilbur Lucio of the Ccorca District marking the start of our first district-wide collaboration. Since then, we’ve been working together with Ccorca to determine the best partnership structure moving forward. In doing this, we’re increasing 33 Buckets capacity to monitor and improve projects while providing a higher level of transparency to donors and stakeholders. Lastly, we’re taking the first steps in forming relationships with suppliers and manufacturers of necessary local parts to ensure that our partner communities always have the resources to maintain access to clean water. These partnerships are a crucial step in 33 Buckets growth as an organization.

Looking Forward: Expanding in Ccorca & Aquaculture

Over the next few months, we’ll be advancing our clean water initiatives in the Ccorca District of Cusco. We’ll complete the first implementation of our original water treatment system (SICLOP III) in the community of Totora. From there, we will conduct a thorough training program for Ccorca’s water managers and collect both qualitative and quantitative data on the new system. Given a successful implementation in Totora, we’ll work with the Municipality of Ccorca to scale this solution to the eight other communities, serving the district’s population of over 2,200 residents.

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In collaboration with ASU’s Global Resolve program, we will also be implementing an aquaculture system in Totora. In general, aquaculture is the practice of ‘fish farming’ in any type of aquatic environment. At altitudes of over 12,000’, many of our partner communities in the Andes experience widespread cases of anemia, especially in children, due to lack of iron nutrients, a mineral provided by fish. This specific system will enable the community of Totora to produce more than enough fish to address anemia-related issues. Excess fish produced by the aquaculture system will create a new economic driver within the community and increase fish populations downstream.