Guatemala
Taco Anema
Drinking water systems rehabilitation and disaster preparedness
Guatemala
Taco Anema
Mexico
Taco Anema
To rehabilitate, reconstruct and redesign drinking water systems damaged by Tropical Storm Stan in 2005, the Tacaná project facilitated communications, damage assessment and the organisation of donor coordination in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. In conjunction with municipalities and governmental authorities, a reconstruction plan for the Department of San Marcos was developed. WANI coordinated the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 72 drinking water systems and four small irrigation systems.
A total of 77 communities with approximately 34,092 inhabitants comprising 6,616 families took part in water supply system studies. Disaster preparedness plans and mechanisms were developed alongside the drinking water systems reconstruction.
This crisis was instrumental in galvanizing commitments to IWRM and water governance reforms.
The devastation caused by this tropical storm alerted the authorities and communities to the area’s vulnerability to climate change impacts and the need to increase resilience to tropical storms and flooding through improved infrastructure and restored ecosystems.