Shiringamazu, Peru

Shiringamazú is a Yanesha community reservation, home to approximately 1,100 people, in Peru. The communidad nativa, native community, is located to the east of the Andes Mountains, bordering the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest to the west.

The Need

Although the village is located in a wet climate, access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation is limited. Existing water sources are contaminated and water is scarce during the dry season (July – November) when streams and wells dry up. The community currently draws water from contaminated springs, shallow wells, and a local stream. Children often suffer from recurring waterborne intestinal disease, which affects their nutrition, growth, and school attendance. When adults fall ill, they are unable to work their land and provide for their families. Rural communities like Shiringamazu do not have the resources to easily treat and reduce infection.

The Solution

Through a partnership, Shiringamazu community leaders and EWB-DC have evaluated viable water sources for a community water system. A spring located up in a mountain near the village could provide the amount and quality of water necessary to support the village. We plan to work with the community and our partners, the Alliance for PE Pipe, to construct a pipeline to bring that water to the community.

Progress

The project began in 2018 when EWB-DC and the community of Shiringamazu established a partnership to identify and evaluate sources of potable water, treat and distribute water throughout the community, and build sanitary facilities to keep these water sources safe. Unfortunately, all local water sources tested positive for e-coli. Additionally, despite multiple assessments to identify the best location for a well, hand-dug and machine-drilled wells did not provide sufficient water to meet the community’s need. 

In 2025, community leaders and EWB pivoted and decided to utilize a spring located near the top of a mountain as the primary water source. The EWB-DC team gathered measurements to draw up plans and gather materials for the new strategy. The Alliance for PE Pipe, a trade organization representing the polyethylene pipe industry, generously donated 9 km of pipe to the project and partnered with EWB-DC on the construction of the water system. 

In the fall of 2025, an EWB-DC team member returned to Peru to coordinate the shipment of donated materials and supplies for the pipeline. Volunteers from the Alliance for PE Pipe joined to help conduct and train community members on how to use the donated equipment and to fuse HDPE pipe. The teams also worked with community members to construct a tapstand, which will be used once the system is connected, at the local school. The community will continue the construction of tapstands in the coming months.

EWB-DC, along with partners from the  Alliance for PE Pipe, will return to Shiringamazu in July of 2026 for a 4-week period to complete the construction of the water system.

Get Involved

Are you interested in helping bring water to Shiringamazu? We are always looking for both technical and non-technical volunteers to help! 

Do you speak Spanish or have experience working in rural, remote, or indigenous communities? Join us!

Do  you have cross-cultural experience? Are you an RPCV? Join us?

Do you have experience with the design  and construction of a water treatment and distribution system – hydrogeologists, environmental and structural engineers, project managers, construction managers? Join us! 

Do you have experience fundraising or organizing events? Join us!

Do you have experience or like to edit or make videos, improve web content, make presentations? Join us!

If you are interested in the project and don’t fit any of those descriptions but are interested in learning and putting in time to help us out, join us! We are all volunteers and anyone who is interested is welcome to help out and learn with us!

Donate

Our team is raising funds to continue our project and commitment to Shiringamazu! We have raised $111,000  and are looking to meet our target of $130,000 . Please help us meet our goal so that we can continue installation of a clean water system that will help over 500+ families in need!