This project was aquired by EWB-Rutgers in January 2009. An assessment trip is being planned for August 2009.

Student Lead: Phi Nguyen - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Lead Mentor: Sandra Kutzing, P.E.
Sandy Kutzing, P.E. is a civil engineer with 6.5 years of experience. She currently works for CDM as a water and waste water engineer in the Edison, NJ office. Her project experience includes designing water treatment plants, pipelines, pump stations and solid waste transfer stations.  She holds an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA (2002) and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, IL (2000).  She is a registered Professional Engineer in New York and New Jersey.

Background: 

Nueva Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán (NSCI) is a town in the western highlands of Guatemala. The town’s population is about 4,000 and the 35,000 people of the wider Ixtahuacán area are K’iche-speaking people of Mayan decent. The town was originally located about 20 kilometers away.  Hurricane Mitch in 1998 caused mudslides that destroyed 60 – 75% of what is now known as Antigua Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan. In the first week of January 2000 the town moved en-masse to their new location. Carrying their possessions on their backs, the people began the 20-kilometer trek up the mountain to what is now called Nueva Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan. The village of NSCI is comprised of about 500 identical block houses, originally allocated one for each family. More recent infill structures are made of mud, unfinished wood and corrugated steel.  On the surface the village looks prosperous, but the rough structures are evidence of difficult living and economic conditions brought on by a lack of water.

Project Goal: 

To redesign and repair the existing water supply in Nueva Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan.

Water Supply:

The existing faulty water supply is fed by three springs located a few kilometers from the village.  The springs have adequate flow year round.  The existing infrastructure consists of holding tanks, 230 volt power, pipes and pumps, but the system has never worked more than sporadically. For over six years the local government has failed to fix the water supply.  The NSCI Development Committee has undertaken repairs to the existing system (replacing motors, replacing pumps) without success.  The existing system needs to be evaluated and a new system needs to be designed – retaining as much of the existing infrastructure as possible.