This October ACI’s Program Field Director of Latina America, Jay VandenBrink, joined a team of engineers from the Autonomous University of Queretaro, Mexico (UAQ) to build two new Bacteria/Arsenic Remediation systems for the villages of La Tinaja and La Morita in the Sierra Gorda mountainous region of Querétaro, Mexico. Upon arrival to the main town of Pinal de Amoles, Querétaro, the local head of the Sanitation Committee, José Morado, met with the team to lead them to these villages and assist them in the construction. This was all done after a warm welcome and signing of acceptance and maintenance of the filters by local Pinal de Amoles Government Administrators and Mexico’s National Commission of water, CONAGUA. This is part of a ongoing synergistic effort to bring clean water to villages dealing with high arsenic levels throughout the region.

The accepting of the filters by the Pinal de Amoles Government Administrators from UAQ and ACI with CONAGUA in attendance.
The accepting of the filters by the Pinal de Amoles Government Administrators from UAQ and ACI with CONAGUA in attendance.
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The workspace and view in La Morita, Querétaro.
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M. Marcela Susana Duhne of UAQ and José Morado, head of the local Sanitation Committee, testing arsenic levels in the water supply of La Morita.
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An almost finished filter with local workers outside building the waterline into the system in La Morita.
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Local community leaders demonstrating how to back-wash the hollow-membrane bacteria remediation functions of the filter system in La Morita.
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Initial arsenic tests showing 0 ppb coming from the ACI filter system in La Morita, Querétaro.
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M. Marcela Susan Duhne trains locals on cleaning of pea gravel and sand for a sand pre-filter in la Tinaja.
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Engineering student of UAQ teach community leaders on filter maintenance.
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Jay VandenBrink of ACI with local community leaders of La Tinaja taking the first sip of 99.999% bacteria and arsenic free water