Inca Catarapi – Eco Latrines for 75 Families

The first of EIA’s pilot projects was for Inca Catarapi. Located high in the Andes Mountains, the community wanted to develop some kind of healthy way to handle their waste. In partnership with EWB-MST, an “Eco-Latrine” design was made, and then implemented in Inca.

So far, 25 latrines have been built. EWB-MST has provided the money for materials to build 50 more. However, EWB-MST has moved on and will not return to Inca. EIA is now managing this project, monitoring and constantly retraining the locals on the proper use of the eco-latrines, pushing the community to build the remaining 50 eco-latrines, and purchasing the materials for that construction.

Project Update

EIA has been out to Inca 4 times during 2008 to check on the progress of the latrines. We found that the latrines were not being used properly, using both sides of the chamber instead of only one, and not providing enough vegetation to the mix to turn it into compost. We have re-educated the community on the use of the latrines, and changed the signs in the latrines from Spanish words into a picture format to explain what to do.

We have also partnered with the EWB chapter at the Universidad de Major de San Andres in La Paz. These young Bolivian engineering students have taken on the maintenance of the Inca Project.