Improvements to the water supply, wastewater disposal, and solid waste management systems for the Vacas III Community, Villalba, PR

Abstract

Vacas III is a rural community in the mountain area of Puerto Rico with 500 habitants. Currently, a well and a natural spring provide the water that is consumed by the community. The water does not comply with the Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) since it is not filtered. The sewage generated at each housing unit is disposed either in septic tanks/cesspools or directly over the terrain. The solid wastes are handled by the Villalba Municipality and disposed at the Yauco sanitary landfill. The recycling materials are recovered by the L&M Waste Company. Several alternatives were analyzed in order to improve the water supply, wastewater and solid waste management systems. The selected options were: a slow sand filter, two-chamber septic tanks with an outlet filter, and an aerobic composting system. These are the most feasible options from an environmental, public health, sustainability, and economical perspectives.