“There is a water crisis today.  But the crisis is not about having too little water to satisfy our needs. It is a crisis of managing water so badly that billions of people – and the environment – suffer badly.” – World Water Vision Report (2000)

The region surrounding Potosi, Bolivia has been mined for nearly five centuries, both before and after the arrival of the conquistadores. Mining activities have severely degraded local waterways, rendering crucial water resources in this high (14,000 ft. elevation) desert unusable by animal, plant and human life. This situation has led to conflict between local farmers and miners because acid mine drainage (water contaminated by the mines) is detrimentally impacting supplies of already limited irrigation water, thus further decreasing low crop yields and endangering families by exposure to toxic constituents in the mine drainage.  Sustainable solutions to these complex environmental and social problems are needed in this economically challenged region of the developing world. To that end, a specific site and a particularly applicable technology have been identified to demonstrate sustainable solutions for the local population. 

The Norman Rotary Club has partnered with the University of Oklahoma, Engineers-In-Action, EMAK and several other organizations, including Rotary clubs from District 5770, to address the mine water pollution near Potosi, Bolivia. The goal is to apply passive treatment technologies in Kumurana, Potosi to simultaneously demonstrate an environmentally and economically sustainable, low-maintenance and simple solution to irrigation water degradation problems by mine water while providing a community of approximately 4,000 subsistence farmers’ safe water for crop and animal watering. The project is estimated to require $70,000 in funding and will employ local engineers, miners and farmers cooperatively. 

The International project director is Norman Rotary’s own, President Tom Cooper.

The Host project director is David Perez Ballesteros, Potosi Rotary Club

Partnering Organizations Include:

University of Oklahoma Center for the Restoration of Ecosystems and Watershed (OU-CREW)

Empresa Minera Agricola Kumurana (EMAK) – a family owned mining company

Centro de Investagcion Minero Ambiental (CIMA)

Universidad Autonoma “Thomas Frias” (UTAF) – largest public university in Potosi

University of Oklahoma Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (OU-EWB)

Communities of La Lava, Kantuyo and Okoruro

Engineers-in-Action (EiA)

Rotary Clubs:

            Altus

            Ardmore

            Elk City

            Pauls Valley

            Purcell

            Norman Rotary

            Norman Sooner Rotary

            Norman Cross-Timbers

            Space Center (Houston)

            Potosi, Bolivia