Azure is a Catholic Relief Services (CRS) initiative that mobilizes finance and technical assistance services for water and sanitation system operators in an integrated manner to support their sustainability and improve community services for rural and peri-urban communities in Central America.

Azure links goals and capabilities of local, national, and international partners to overcome barriers to the development, financing, and sustainability of water supply and sanitation services and projects.

This innovative implementation model is designed to generate impact at scale, in an efficient and sustainable manner, and allows water and sanitation providers to develop projects that improve water and sanitation systems, expand and protect water sources and obtain financing for investments in infrastructure and equipment.

The Azure model began in El Salvador, has already started actions in Honduras and is expanding to other countries in Latin America, such as Guatemala and Nicaragua, with the potential to scale to other regions.

The Azure Initiative contributes directly to Sustainable Development Goal 6 to ensure sustainable water and sanitation services for all people, recognizing that meeting this goal contributes to achieving the other Sustainable Development Goals.

All the resources above are only available in Spanish:

Documents

• Operation and Maintenance Manual
• Filtration method
• Rational use of water
• Water use in rain harvester

Videos

• Importance of the operation and maintenance of a drinking water supply system
• Components of a drinking water supply system by electromechanical pumping
• Components of a bid gravity drinking water supply system
• Components of a discharge shaft for the proper functioning of an electro pumping system
• Plumbing equipment and tools for good maintenance of the water system
• Maintenance plan and corrective procedures for the water system
• How to give good maintenance to the valves in a drinking water supply system
• Detection and repair of leaks in the pipes of the drinking water supply system
• Cleaning of drinking water storage tanks
• The importance of keeping controls and accounting records in the drinking water system
• Preparation of a budget for a Water and Sanitation System Operator
• Digital accounting system for the administration of drinking water supply systems
• Governance structure for operators of community water and sanitation systems
• Importance of sustainable rates for water services
• Components of a sustainable water tariff
• How to establish a water rate for consumption blocks
• Reading of water consumption in the micrometers
• Why should we chlorinate the water we consume?
• Importance of measuring water consumption in our homes
• The importance of macrometering in our drinking water supply system
• Proper disposal of wastewater
• Adequate disposal of excreta
• Storage and proper management of water at home
• Where does the water we consume come from?
• What can we do to protect water sources?