Posted by Mary Jo
on September 26, 2015, 6:16 pm
Edited by board administrator September 26, 2015, 9:29 pm
NEWS FLUSH!!!! Just as officials from SEMARNAT (Mexico’s Natural Resources and environment Agency) arrived yesterday for a review of the new boardwalk loop through La Manzaniila’s mangrove forest and crocodile habitat, an inspection team of engineers and technicians from Aguas Estatal de Jalisco (State Water Commission) came to evaluate the town’s sewer pump station and treatment plant and provide technical assistance. Both visits were the result of on-going, strong local advocacy for making La Manzanilla a healthier and cleaner place to live and visit.
Improvements to the Laguna boardwalk speak for themselves. If you haven’t already made the full circuit with strategically placed overlooks and a second hanging bridge in the peaceful backside of the estuary, I recommend that you take a slow walk, and allow time for appearances by an array of wildlife. While there is still much work to be done, the SEMARNAT delegation was impressed by the progress here, and noted that La Manzanilla is one of two sites along the entire Mexican coast where local action has built such an attractive resource for environmental education.
Equally uplifting is the news that Jalisco’s sewer technical review team spent two full days evaluating the performance of La Manzanilla’s wastewater lift station and treatment plant. During the visit, they gathered data relative to flows, pump outputs and system maintenance needs. The data will be used to develop a comprehensive set of recommendations for solving the on-going problem of sewage discharge into the La Manzanilla environment. The report will help us set goals and develop budgets for sustainable operation and maintenance.
Thanks to donations from the community, the sewer committee was able supply protective equipment (gloves, respirators, boots, disinfection supplies) to three courageous and hardworking volunteers who spent at least two hours inside the lift station in the mid-day heat removing sludge, accumulated greases, crap, condoms and crud from strainers inside the flow channels. The work was necessary to permit accurate measurement of inflow to the pump station at various times of the day and night. The last measurement was taken at 1:30 this morning while most in the town were asleep.
The three volunteers—Morgan, Arnoldo and their assistant “Taca”—are true heroes of La Manzanilla. Their willingness to go into a sewage pumping vault, with shovel, rake and bucket to perform maintenance (no jokes about a shitty job here, OK?) to benefit the entire community is truly remarkable!
If you wish to donate to the sewer project you can push the paypal button below:
The fotos will follow in the next post.
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