From February 4–9, 2026, Water Engineers for the Americas (WEFTA) returned to San Miguelito, El Salvador, near El Imposible National Park, to assess and strengthen the community’s gravity-fed water systems serving approximately 121 households.
The visit was both technical and deeply personal. In the late 1990s, WEFTA Executive Director Tim Wellman served in San Miguelito as a Peace Corps Volunteer, working alongside the local water committee on spring protection, sanitation, and system development. In 2001, WEFTA’s partner Waterlines helped construct the systems that remain in operation today. This year’s assessment, supported by long-time volunteer engineer Lam Ho, focused on evaluating spring sources, storage capacity, transmission lines, and overall system reliability.
Improvements for the Path Forward
The local water committee, ACASAPSAM, continues to demonstrate strong governance, consistent fee collection, and active participation. Field inspections confirmed that while the systems remain functional, several sectors face dry-season shortages due to limited storage, reduced spring capture efficiency, and aging infrastructure.
WEFTA and the committee concluded the visit by outlining targeted rehabilitation measures to improve storage, strengthen spring capture, enhance interconnections, and extend the life of existing tanks and pipelines. With committed community leadership and strategic technical support, San Miguelito’s water systems are well-positioned to continue serving families reliably for years to come.
