About 2 billion people worldwide lack access to clean and safe drinking water, which also affects the sanitation and hygiene of a community. People who live in rural and hard-to-reach places are especially at risk of suffering from preventable diseases and other health problems related to unclean water. Mercer professors have been working on solutions to these pressing water issues and bringing clean water to communities in need.
Students will spend most of their time working in the El Cercado area of the San Juan province. There, they will work with a rural community group to improve a water supply system, which may include system construction.
Students will work with local stakeholders, such as residents, technicians and government workers, on the development of maintenance and repair plans for the local water systems. They also will work with stakeholders to find ways to improve the environmental health conditions of households in the El Cercado.
In addition, students will conduct low-cost water assessments and collect hydrogeological data to better inform water resource management and improve the environmental sustainability of water supply systems.
They also will work with community members to build and install one or more ramps to improve accessibility to public buildings. They will interview people with disabilities and their caregivers to better understand their needs and carry out preliminary accessibility surveys in the community.
Living conditions in the Dominican Republic will be basic during most of the program. Students will have the opportunity to visit Santo Domingo and a coastal beach, practice speaking Spanish and enjoy local cuisine.
This program is supported by the Cecil Day Family Center for International Groundwater Innovation. The center’s goal is to help provide access to clean water to the world’s most water-poor communities by working with local stakeholders.
