September Project Status Update: Operational Wins and Movement Towards Construction
As we closed out September, our clean water projects in both Las Mercedes KM11 and La Merced continued to move forward with impactful milestones, exciting progress, and community-driven growth.
Las Mercedes KM11 (1200 ppl): Sustained Growth and New Operational Breakthroughs
September brought a wave of positive change to Las Mercedes KM11 as the community continues to grow, fueled in part by the reliable access to water provided by the new Water Tanker Truck. With water now flowing regularly into the heart of the community, families that had moved away have begun moving back into the area, underscoring the deep impact this project is already making.
Throughout the month, the VAVV team held ongoing meetings with the Municipality of Piura to secure an easement for the land where permanent infrastructure will be built. These meetings culminated in a high-level discussion with the Mayor of the Provincial Municipality of Piura on September 23rd, where our team advocated for faster processing of the land use agreement—a crucial next step in moving the project forward.
In parallel, weekly meetings between VAVV and the local Water Committee continued, focusing on refining the system’s operations and management. Together, they worked on optimizing procedures, improving financial controls, and establishing sustainable revenue and expense practices.
A major operational win came on September 26th, when the Water Committee and community standardized their unit of sale—a 220-liter barrel—and raised the price per liter of water to 0.15 soles. This adjustment, made with careful consideration of long-term sustainability, reflects a community ready to take ownership of its water future!
Looking Ahead in October:
We’re pushing toward key breakthroughs this month in Las Mercedes KM11: securing the land easement from the Municipality of Piura, locking in the final Funding Plan Agreement with GRP, finalizing the water rate, outfitting the truck with a GPS and alarm system, and contracting a builder to kick off construction on the reservoir and kiosk. Every step brings us closer to a fully operational clean water system for the community.
La Merced (200 ppl): Laying the Legal and Logistical Foundation
Our newest partner community, La Merced, is also making meaningful progress as we work together to bring clean water to them. In early September, our easement request to PECHP (a local governement agency which has ownership of the land in question) was returned with a request for additional documentation. VAVV promptly re-submitted the request with all required evidence through our local partners during the third week of September.
Meanwhile, on September 24th, we received a formal quote for drilling and implementing the well, a major planning milestone. That same day, VAVV completed a comprehensive preliminary itemized list of all required materials—including units and specifications—to begin requesting in-kind donations from Peruvian companies.
These developments reflect a strong, coordinated effort among our engineering team, local government partners, and the community to bring this project to fruition.
Looking Ahead to October
As we turn the corner into October, our teams are pushing forward with renewed focus and urgency. For La Merced, we’re working to secure the right of easement and register the approved land in Public Records—a foundational step to begin construction. We also plan to hire a hydrogeologist consultant to conduct a geo-electrical study that will help us pinpoint the optimal drilling location for the well within the designated area.
We, also, plan to host a formal kickoff meeting with our Engineering Team to begin designing the full water system. This will include determining whether shared infrastructure with the neighboring village is possible, potentially expanding the reach of our efforts even further. These milestones are critical steps in laying the groundwork for a reliable, community-driven clean water solution.
As we enter the final stretch of the year, both Las Mercedes KM11 and La Merced are nearing the full realization of their clean water systems. Your support is making this possible. If you’d like to be part of turning these blueprints into life-changing infrastructure, please consider contributing to our Mission today. Give today now and help bring clean water home!
