San Juan Tepezontes Leaders Take on Clean Water Issues

For the first time in decades, the inhabitants of San Juan Tepezontes, a community of 4,000 people, held a community reunion at the public park in front of the Saint John the Evangelist Church. Over 300 community members came together at a meeting organized by COFOA/PICO leaders, who are now in a “listening campaign” to define the most important issues that affect San Juan Tepezontes inhabitants.

Previously, COFOA/PICO leaders held one-to-one conversations with community members, and in the community meeting they identified the three most important issues for the majority of community:

1. The lack of clean water service
2. Bad road conditions
3. Robbery

In the community meeting people agreed to work together to find a solution for the clean water problem, because they haven’t received regular daily service since November 2009.  Currently they receive water only two times a month, and the water is highly contaminated. COFOA leaders visited the city’s Health Care Unit and learned that 459 people have been infected by amebiasis, including children. At the community meeting COFOA/PICO leaders organized small groups in which the community worked on four questions, giving them the opportunity to raise their voices about the clean water issue:

1. How does the lack of clean water affect you and your family?
2. Who do you think is responsible to fix this problem?
3. What do you think we as a community can do to fix this problem?
4. What are you willing to do to fix this problem?

COFOA leaders decided to file a complaint against ANDA (National Office of Water) signed for the whole community, and visit this office in San Salvador to give a warning that they have thirty days to fix the water issue or community members will suspend monthly payments for the water bill.

Many community members want to work with COFOA leaders and are ready to raise their complaints to San Salvador, which is about 40 minutes from San Juan Tepezontes.