Final Training Session

It's been a week since I updated the blog. Time sure does fly! We have been very busy for the last week. I am going to spread the work out into several posts.

Making New Partnerships.
Chancellor Funes (UPi), me (UTEP), and Mr. Rodriguez (AHJASA)
(photo credit: Victoria Amador)

The third seminar was held on August 10 at UPi’s campus. Nine representatives from a combination of regional governmental agencies and a rural water organization called  the Asociación Hondureñas de Juntas Administradoras de Sistemas de Agua (AHJASA) attended. AHJASA is a rural water association that provides benefits such as training and equipment monitoring to its members in various communities in rural parts of Honduras. The representatives from AHJASA included Mr. Lenin Alberto Rodriguez, who works with rural communities. Mr. Rodriguez provided valuable information about the problems with salinity and access to clean water in the southern part of Honduras. The other AHJASA representatives were from member communities in Valle and Choluteca. Since this was the final presentation, UPi students were invited to learn about desalination and the USAID project. Eleven students attended the seminar. After lunch, all participants were transported to the UTEP-UPi pilot site for a tour and demonstration of the equipment.

Final Seminar Participants (photo credit: Victoria Amador)

Visiting the Los Almendros well and talking the AHJASA representatives

We were interviewed onsite - LIVE - during our tour. We were nervous and didn't know she was truly live. There's a joke about now, now, or later, later here. It's really funny watching this after the fact. I understand what I was asked and could have responded (in English, of course), but totally froze. Oh well, it's great that the Hoy Mismo came to learn about our project and I hope they (and others) will come back. We enjoyed meeting the reporter, Gabriela Castillo. Mr. Rusbel got volunteered to be the videographer (it is really amazing what you can do with a cell phone...) for this.

Here's what we wanted to say, English and Spanish (courtesy of Clara):

• The goal of the project is to demonstrate that our technology (called Zero Discharge Desalination) is capable of producing water for both irrigation and drinking purposes while having no liquid waste leave the site. We produce a useful solid byproduct (gypsum) which can be used by farmers to improve soil conditions and a liquid product (NaCl, or table salt) which is used by the technology.

• El objetivo del proyecto es demostrar que nuestra tecnología (llamada Desalinización con Descarga Cero) es capaz de producir agua para riego y potable ademas no deja residuos líquidos el sitio. Se recupera un subproducto sólido útil (yeso) que puede ser utilizado por los agricultores para mejorar las condiciones del suelo y un producto líquido (NaCl o sal de mesa) que utiliza la tecnología.

Training Session #2

Time is surely passing by quickly!  Today was a day for training and meeting with contractors. (and a trip to the doctor for me...)

UPi this way!

One of the important goals of our project is to transfer knowledge to people in Honduras. Today we had the pleasure of giving a seminar and tour to local government officials in several agencies. We had representatives from SANAA (Servicio Autónomo Nacional de Acueductos y Alcantarillados), DGE (Dirección General de Energia), and DGA (Dirección General del Ambiente).  This means we had water and wastewater, energy, and environmental representatives - an excellent mixture for our discussions. Ing. Luis Eveline is great at putting together the right groups. 

We started the day at UPi to present on water quality (agriculture and drinking water), desalination as a potential source of water for Honduras farmers, and ended with a summary and discussion of the technology that we have brought to Tegucigalpa, Zero Discharge Desalination (ZDD). After some tasty snacks we hopped in a bus and drove to the pilot site. As expected, Mr. Rusbel knows the best ways to navigate a busy city! Everyone got to see the equipment and ask additional questions. A few of the SANAA folks are going to come back and visit when we are operating. After the pilot site, we drove back to UPi for lunch and presentation of certificates.

I love when people are genuinely excited about certificates. Here's a picture with me, Chancellor (Rectora) Carolina Funes (UPi), and another Victoria!
(Photo credit: Victoria Amador)

Here's our whole group, including Rectora Funes and Ing. Luis Eveline (front, right)
(Photo credit: Victoria Amador)

Visiting the Pilot Site
(Photo credit: Victoria Amador)

Zero Discharge Desalination with Salt Recovery & Enhanced Evaporation. Clara does almost all of the talking, since I am still learning Spanish. Occasionally, I am able to stumble through a few sentences.
(Photo credit: Victoria Amador)

The view from the second floor of UPi near the classroom we were using. It is open air and the colors are lovely at UPi.

Training session #1

We ended the week with our first training session for Honduras farmers. When we first started out, we envisioned training "traditional" farmers, or farmers that grow things on the ground. UPi found a few shrimp farmers that use seawater that were interested in learning about desalination, so they were added to the mix. I think the training went fairly well, especially since I don't really speak Spanish, and Clara and I are both getting over a nasty cold.

I do need to say how happy I am to work with wonderful and strong women. This project started with Evelyn Rios, then transitioned to Clara Borrego after Evelyn got a job (I'll put a picture below that we made to show the transition between the two engineers). I am so glad to have gotten to know both of these women.

Evelyn (left) and Clara (right) showing off our equipment in El Paso, Texas. This shows the fun personalities that they both have.

I want to brag a little bit about Clara. She joined our team in March when we found out our Eveylyn Rios had to move for a great job in Dallas. I sat with Clara and told her that it would be grueling and frustrating at times, but that it would be a fun adventure. She accepted the challenge. Both Clara and Evelyn worked together to help me get our system designed, built, and operating. It has truly been my pleasure to work with her. Of course she's talented (she is a UTEP graduate, after all!), but she brings kindness, a willingness to work (very) hard, and a personality that makes everyone happy. She has learned ZDD quickly and since she speaks Spanish, there is no breakdown in communication.

Clara Borrego, explaining the ZDD process in Honduras (picture credit: Victoria Amador)

We held our first training session at UPi's building. Our day of training included a morning session where we discussed water quality, desalination, and our pilot system. The farmers were all from the southern part of Honduras and their products include watermelons, cantaloupe, corn, shrimp, and tilapia. Each of the farmers indicated they use different water sources (rain, fresh well water, seawater) and a few had knowledge of desalination.

This is a fun picture showing the UTEP and UPi women (photo credit: Clara Borrego)

Classroom Training - First Group of Farmers (photo credit: Victoria Amador)

Group Picture with UPi Chancellor Funes, Ing. Luis Eveline, UPi students, and UTEP (photo credit: UPi)

After the classroom portion, we provided certificates and took a group picture, then enjoyed a nice lunch from the UPi cafeteria. After lunch, we made our way to the pilot site and showed the equipment. We started up the system so that everyone could see it in operation and ask questions. It was a hot afternoon, but I think it was a great visit.

Describing how we achieve high recovery using electrodialysis metathesis (photo credit: Victoria Almador)

Clara showing how our enhanced evaporation system will be built
(also - check out how our UTEP logo is framed! GO MINERS!)

And one last thing. Clara thought it would be fun to show how I look when I blog in our apartment. I think it's a funny picture. Yes, I was in my pajamas today. Don't judge me.