Craning the Water Tank

So if you've been a reader here for a little while, you probably already know that we seem to have issues with water at the construction project. Not that we don't have water, thank goodness we do! It's just that all construction relating to water doesn't seem to go very smoothly.

Case in point. The Elevated Water Tank.

First was a long debate through several countries, over time zones and many, many opinions about how big it should be. We eventually settled on 15,000 cubic meters. Enough for a city of 500 children and their support staff, but not a lot extra.

We decided on this because once we have 500 children and everyone else, we really should have another well in case something happens to the first one, like the pump breaking down.

So the well itself took a loooooooong time.

And the elevated water tank was supposed to be finished in 45 days (according to the lovely Microsoft Project timeline put together by the company), the end date falling at the beginning of September.

Well that didn't exactly happen.

First it was stuck at the border (it's parts were fabricated in Honduras, it would be like having an international border for everything manufactured outside of Washington state.

Then that delay caused us to be in the middle of the worse part of the rainy season when they were trying to solder. And last, but not least, the crane came out, put up the support structure, and proceeded to get stuck in the mud so that it couldn't life the tank.

We have, however, reached that happy day where weather related delays are behind us (both because most of those activities are done and because the weather is starting to get nicer.

And, while it's been a somewhat stressful time since the first children move from the island in a month and a half, the company, Imnsa Argo, has been responsive to all our concerns and good to work with. Phew!

So now we're onto the next stage! We're currently working for approval from NPH International to begin the next phase of 3 or 4 houses!