Projects
Over $6 billons USD to be invested in wastewater infrastructure between 2017 and 2045
GWS is run by volunteers organized into committees. In 2019, we reorganized to have fewer committees, the goals of which aligned more closely with our current priorities. In addition, our previous committee structure limited participation for certain committee members’ input to only a part of the year. The current committee structure now utilizes the talents of all committee members throughout the year. The committees of GWS are: Community Design, Public Education and Outreach, Projects for Construction, Professional.
Training and Knowledge Exchange, and Marketing and Fundraising.
GWS continued its strong tradition of providing education about wastewater treatment in Costa Rica. During the August trip, GWS hosted its second annual professional development seminar in San Juan and GWS presented to students in the community of LaFortuna about basic sanitation and the hydrologic cycle.
GWS continued its work towards achieving improved water quality through use of green infrastructure by constructing its fourth biogarden. Thanks to GWS vounteers, biogardens have been constructed at schools in Dominical, Palmar Sur, Monte Verde and La Fortuna.
GWS also visited biogardens built in prior years to make small repairs and ensure proper maintenance is being performed.
Once again, GWS hosted a successful student design competition in April. The winning team was from Milwaukee School of Engineering and was the first all-female team to win a student design competition.
GWS continued its outreach efforts to universities outside of the states served by the Central States Water Environment Association and to other Member Agencies of the Water Environment Federation (WEF). GWS expects to see greater participation in the student design competition in the near future.
GWS held the second annual knowledge exchange by hosting a delegation of Costa Rican wastewater and public health experts in the U.S. for one week. The delegation visited multiple wastewater treatment facilities, an equipment manufacturer, and participated in judging the student design competition.