Septic Tanks: A Hidden, but Life-Changing Mission Project
The Sajquiy family stands near their recently constructed septic tank
Written by Elizabeth Leighton
Having a private space to use the restroom every day is not something that we often stop to appreciate. Nor do we usually pay much attention to the functioning wastewater systems in the areas where we live, which help keep our water sources clean and consequently keep us healthy. An important and oftentimes overlooked project of the San Lucas Mission Construction Program is the construction and gifting of septic tanks.
Here in San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala, among the other towns on Lake Atitlán, the municipalities do not have community wastewater systems. Instead, they rely on the usage of septic tanks, latrines, or simple holes in the ground. These forms of waste management lead to pollution and have adverse effects on the health of the community. Much of this wastewater flows into streams that feed into Lake Atitlán, with 89% of that water not receiving any filtration. It is estimated that from all the communities in the watershed of Lake Atitlán, 43 million liters of wastewater enter the lake daily. Additionally, this can often cause gastrointestinal illnesses due to the ingestion of waste through the water.
A worker removes rocks to start the construction of the septic tank
In San Lucas, however, the municipality mandates that each family have a septic tank. The cost of septic tanks is a barrier for many families. For the Mission Construction Program, it costs 17,500 Quetzales which is around $2,285 USD. For this reason, many families are left with no choice but to dig a hole in the ground instead. This hole means there is no filtration that takes place, the waste simply goes directly into the ground and therefore is eventually absorbed into the groundwater. With septic tanks (or more precisely, absorption wells), wastewater first passes through a sand filter and then through the surrounding rocks and cement that form the structure of the tank. In this way, although it is not 100%, septic tanks improve the filtration of this wastewater and reduce pollution and contamination of the groundwater. Additionally, these holes are often not very deep. This means that these holes fill quickly and the families must either dig a new hole or clean out the old one, sometimes disposing of the waste in the street.
A worker constructs the septic tank walls
It is important to acknowledge that the building of septic tanks is not only beneficial for the cleanliness of natural resources and health of the people, it also promotes the dignity of the people of San Lucas. Many families who find themselves without an adequate bathroom within their home must walk roughly 50 feet from their home to use a latrine. This results in a lack of privacy for these families, as they must exit their home anytime they would like to use the restroom.
This year the Construction Program will build 16 septic tanks for families in San Lucas Tolimán and its surrounding communities. The installation of these septic tanks then makes possible the construction of a private bathroom with a toilet. An important factor to note is that the construction of these septic tanks is often very labor intensive. The Mission asks for assistance from the families, who either work alongside the construction workers or help to gather material. We spoke with a family who will soon receive a new block home and septic tank — an installation process expected to take about a month. The Sajquiy family consists of the grandmother Victoria, José her 16-year-old grandson who falls under her care, her two adult daughters Sandra and Candida, and the other grandson Bryan, the son of Sandra. The family has been renting plots of land for the past 20 years, never finding themselves in a stable living condition. Recently however, the family succeeded in purchasing their own property.
The Sajquiy family speaks with Veronica Castro, Assistant Director of the Mission Construction Program
In their previous living situation, the family did not have a private and sanitary bathroom. The Sajquiy family’s bathroom, similar to the hole in the ground situation described above, was located 15 meters or about 50 feet from their property and presented a variety of problems. Despite the distance of the bathroom from their house, the smell and presence of flies still made its way to the family’s home. The toilet, unfortunately, was uncovered, and during the rainy season it would fill with sand. The mother and grandmother would then have to clean out the latrine so that it could be used again. Additionally, the hole was only about 1 meter or about 3.3 feet in depth whereas this new septic tank that was constructed is 5 meters or about 16.4 feet in depth with a radius of 2.9 meters or about 9.5 feet.
The Sajquiy family expressed their immense gratitude to have a new home with a bathroom that will now provide them with privacy and a more hygienic waste management system. Sandra expressed, “We honestly are very happy to have our own private bathroom. We won’t have to clean it out anymore now that we have our septic tank. This is all new for us and we are happy with this accomplishment.” Additionally, she said, “We pray for the donors that they might be able to continue supporting other families as they have our family. We don’t have a way to repay the donors, but we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.”
The Sajquiy family poses in front of their new home (under construction)
Victoria, the grandmother, shared, “I feel very happy. I want to thank the donors and workers who have helped us make this project possible. I work to put food on the table for our family every day, but I don’t have a stable job or any degree. I prepare and sell tortillas and use that money to support the two children that are under my care. I have no way to thank the donors for all that they have done, but I know that God will repay them someday.”
Just as all little kids do, the young boy of the household has big dreams. He is currently 12 years old and tells his mom Sandra that he will study to become a doctor, and one day will build a two-story house for her so that they can have a better life. Thanks to the generous donors supporting the Friends of San Lucas, the Construction Program can provide families such as the Sajquiy family with more adequate waste management systems, offering a small but critical pathway to a brighter future.