💧 Adiestramiento en Línea: Conceptos Básicos de Sistemas de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales en Sitio + Recomendaciones en el Proceso de Adquisición (05/28/2025 | PR)

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Este adiestramiento ofrece un resumen de los conceptos básicos de sistemas de tratamiento de aguas residuales en sitio, incluyendo procesos anaeróbicos y aeróbicos. Se ofrecerá mayor atención a pozos sépticos y las unidades aeróbicas de tratamiento (“ATU”) que son los más comunes en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes. Para los participantes con experiencia provee un buen repaso, y para los que comienzan ahora les ofrecen una buena base y mejor entendimiento. En adición, el adiestramiento ofrecerá recomendaciones en el proceso de adquisición de sistemas nuevos, incluyendo el proceso, pasos más frecuentes, solicitudes de precio, contratación y selección. Este adiestramiento está diseñado para asistir sistemas comunitarios y/o individuos en dichos sistemas. No empece, la información puede ser de utilidad a profesionales, reguladores y estudiantes.

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El Informe de Confianza al Consumidor (CCR, por sus siglas en inglés) es un informe que se debe enviar a los consumidores todos los años sobre la calidad del agua que el sistema proporcionó a sus clientes. Se requiere que los sistemas incluyan entre otra información, los contaminantes regulados detectados durante el monitoreo más reciente.

En este taller se ofrecerá información que le ayudará a conocer, comprender y preparar el Informe de Confianza al Consumidor en su sistema.

Synergy Spotlight: Meet Juan Campos Collazo, Community Specialist

Juan Campos Callazo has been with RCAP Solutions since 2002, making him one of the most senior employees at the organization. But it’s not just Juan’s seniority that makes him an extremely valuable addition to our Community & Environmental Resources division; it’s his unyielding dedication to serving rural communities in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands – steadfast, for over 22 years.

Before joining RCAP Solutions, Juan worked in the Drinking Water Program at the Puerto Rico Department of Health for 14 years. As a former employee of the Department of Health, Juan developed many lasting relationships with rural communities and their drinking water systems’ staff, which carried over when he joined RCAP Solutions.

Ever since he was young, Juan knew he wanted to be involved in the engineering field and he wanted to help others, therefore he decided to pursue civil engineering. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering with a concentration in water resources from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico. In addition, Juan is a certified drinking water and wastewater operator, and is a member of the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico.

Juan truly finds fulfilment from his work, mainly because he is able to make a difference for people and their communities, ensuring they have safe drinking water and sanitary wastewater disposal. He noted, “I care first about people, which is why I decided to become an engineer and make a difference. I consider myself as an instrument to improve the quality of life of other people and feel that I am fulfilling my life too at another level. For me, respect and responsibility are important values and my performance as a professional and as a human being is based on both.”

Juan’s contributions were noted by Josefa Torres-Olivo, Regional Director (PR/USVI), who said, “Juan is a great human being that I have known since university. He is a person who transmits and gives serenity, he is calm but with a lot of commitment and dedication as technical assistance provider to rural communities, as well as a deacon of the church. It is an honor to know and work with Juan for so many years.”

Juan truly took his commitment to the next level when he became ordained as a Deacon in December 2023. This process, which took 4 years of studious work to complete, began when he was nominated by his parish that he is so deeply involved with.

This accomplishment changed Juan’s life. He stated, “Being a Deacon of the Catholic Church is first a great blessing, and a great responsibility too. I now serve the church through service to people with baptisms, funerals, visits to the elderly and sick people, Celebration of the Liturgy, and assisting the Priest at Mass. It has changed my life in all aspects, has made me more aware of the presence of God, how my family has contributed to this process, how the community with their prayers has given me the strength to complete the ordination, I’m more sensitive to the needs of others, and I have learned to be more patient and tolerant with others and myself.”

Whether it is through his work at RCAP Solutions or at his church, Juan is a person that people look to for guidance and support, and he is happy to give it.

Mark Johnson, Director of Community & Environmental Resources, added, “Juan’s positive attitude and infectious smile is immediately apparent to anyone in his presence. His concern for fellow employees and the communities he has been serving for decades is remarkable. He listens with intent, one of the many skills that makes him a successful technical assistance provider. Juan is a valuable member of the RCAP Solutions team, a trusted member of the community, and a leader by example.”

Fun Facts About Juan:

  • Hometown: Ponce, Puerto Rico
  • Favorite Book: Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Amy Newmark
  • Favorite Movie: Ladyhawke directed by Richard Donner
  • Favorite Sports Teams: New York Yankees, Boston Celtics, Leones de Ponce (baseball & basketball)
  • Favorite Song: Can’t Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon
  • Historical Figure he’d Like to Meet: Jesus Christ
  • Places He’d Like to Travel to: France, Spain, and Italy

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La preparación y el conocimiento son la clave para lograr el cumplimiento con los requisitos de la reglamentación, así como para enfrentar eventos producidos por la naturaleza o por el hombre que afectan a los Acueductos Comunitarios Rurales y a nuestra Isla. El taller le ofrecerá al participante información sobre los conceptos básicos que debe incluir un Plan de Respuesta a Emergencias.

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Repasaremos los conceptos esenciales…plan de Manejo, Logística de equipos y su distribución, Centros de Acopio Temporeros, Desvío de Materiales, Educación Comunitaria.

En este adiestramiento repasaremos los elementos más importantes que debemos tener en consideración para prepararnos previo a un desastre respecto al manejo de los escombros y materiales resultantes del evento.

Repasaremos cinco áreas relevantes para atender con eficiencia un evento que genere grandes cantidades de escombros.

Previo a la temporada de huracanes en el trópico, queremos que esté preparado para que pueda agilizar el proceso de recuperación y que este sea uno eficiente y ordenado ante los retos que presentan estos eventos naturales.

Este adiestramiento es dirigido a personal municipal o estatal con capacidad decisional y que está involucrado en el manejo de residuos sólidos, personal de operaciones de obras públicas y de respuesta a emergencias, juntas comunitarias o de organizaciones sin fines de lucro, lideres comunitarios y personas con interés en mejorar la calidad de vida de sus comunidades.

De forma clara y sencilla repasaremos puntos clave que nos ayuden en la planificación y respuesta a un desastre.

Colaboración con el Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales de Puerto Rico.

Solid Waste Case Study: Challenges with Illegal Dumping Elimination in the Community of Santa Rita in Guánica, Puerto Rico

Written By: Edwin Vázquez-Asencio, Sustainable Materials Management Specialist

BACKGROUND: This community was referred by the municipality a year before the grant period. The community has had a problem with illegal dumping and improper management of debris and waste, even when the municipality has services for debris collection and curbside for waste. Three areas were commonly used as illegal dumping sites. The largest impacted area is a 0.6-mile dirt road, with debris on both sides of the path that has been used for illegal dumping for more than 4 decades according to RCAP Technical Assistant Provider (TAP) evaluation.

THE CHALLENGE: The place is used for illegal dumping by small contractors, community residents and others. Bulky items such as furniture, mattress, home appliances, auto parts, e-waste, construction and demolition debris (C&D), vegetative materials, domestic waste, and animal carcasses are commonly dumped on this site. Motor oils, refrigerator fluids, paints, acrylic roof sealers have been found or are part of the materials in the site. Many of them are possible sources of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s), (hydrofluorocarbons) and heavy metals as well as other materials with constituents likely to contain PFAS, lead, and other regulated contaminants.

Vectors of diseases like the “Flesh Fly” (members of the subfamily Sarcophagidae), mosquitoes, cockroaches, rodents, mongoose (Herpestes auropuctatus – principal carrier of rabies in Puerto Rico), feral animals and community pets are commonly found in the area, creating a public health concern. In the rainy season the ditch behind the dumping site receives the runoff from the site and guides it to the community and the farms nearby. Many wells are in the area for agricultural purposes and drinking water that could be susceptible to any contamination from the dumping activities. The place is on the borderline of two municipalities and the road is not well defined as public or private property, creating additional challenges for investing in restoration by any of the municipal entities. The TAP presented the case to USDA looking for options for the community.

THE APPROACH & SOLUTION: An assessment was performed, and the results presented to the community and other stakeholders like the municipality, the PR Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, the PR Police Department, Public Works, and others.

The TAP presented the following plan of five steps to address the problem for short term, medium, and long-term results.

  1. Education and awareness of the community and establish a working group.
  2. Clean up to remove all dumped materials and dispose of them correctly and collect data about the materials removed for developing a long-term action plan.
  3. Add value, changing the appearance and promote the use of the area by the community as a walking place or other recreational activities.
  4. Maintenance plan to establish an adoption plan of the area and law enforcement support to reduce illegal dumping activities.
  5. Empower the community to develop activities that keep the area clean, organized, and build their capacity to address the situation and get financial support.

In the presentation for all the stakeholders and working group, the TAP covered important topics that included: PFAS, E-waste, Volatile Organic Compounds, Household Hazardous Waste and Vectors of diseases among other related information to create awareness of the problem and to validate and justify immediate action by the stakeholder group.

THE IMPACT: The community leaders are engaging in the remediation of the area used for illegal dumping for decades. The municipality and other stakeholders received technical instruction about the proper management of the area, and information about the problems associated with this situation including constituent materials and public health concerns that need attention. The community is receiving the skills and guidance to address the problem in conjunction with the stakeholders. This is an ongoing project in which the key stakeholders such as the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, the PR Police Bureau, the Municipality of Guánica and other are looking for alternatives with RCAP Solutions to help the community and eliminate this illegal dumping site. RCAP discussed the project with the local USDA Staff and Washington representatives to help these disadvantaged people and will continue the process to identify resources to tackle the problem with them. RCAP believes in community empowerment, capacity building, and sustainable management of their resources. These foundations complement RCAP’s technical support and lead the community to a better future and the solution of a problem they have been facing for decades. We are here for them!

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Organizado por: Asociación Interamericana de Ingeniería Sanitaria y Ciencias del Ambiente Capítulo de Puerto Rico (AIDIS-Puerto Rico).

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Los sistemas de agua comunitarios se ven limitados económicamente por la falta de una preparación económica adecuada ante los diferentes factores que influyen en la operación diaria de un sistema de agua. Es sumamente importante tener en cuenta que el estudio y planificación de una tarifa saludable, mantendrá el sistema en optimo funcionamiento y los preparará para enfrentar cualquier situación inesperada que se pueda presentar. El taller le ofrecerá herramientas y conocimientos útiles para entender y preparar una tarifa para un sistema de agua comunitario.

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El Informe de Confianza al Consumidor (CCR, por sus siglas en inglés) es un informe que se debe enviar a los consumidores todos los años sobre la calidad del agua que el sistema proporcionó a sus clientes. Se requiere que los sistemas incluyan entre otra información, los contaminantes regulados detectados durante el monitoreo más reciente.

En este taller se ofrecerá información que le ayudará a conocer, comprender y preparar el Informe de Confianza al Consumidor en su sistema.

‘Twas Mid December at RCAP Solutions…

‘Twas Mid-December and all through the skies,
RCAP teams with care and wise.
In every office, staff worked with glee,
Offering essential aid, as busy as can be.

The needy many, deserving of cheer,
In this season of giving, their hopes draw near.
For when the demand rises, so great and so clear,
RCAP’s dedication shines, year after year.

In our Housing Consumer Education Center,
We make sure every client has a supportive mentor,
To assist in all aspects of home ownership and leasing,
In case you should see a problem increasing,
If a concern should arise, there’s lending or training,
Should you find your bank account suddenly draining.

With Subsidized Housing, we help pay the rent,
Offering programs for both landlord and tenant.
Everyone deserves a safe home and a bed,
Where each family member can rest their head.
We can also assist with housing mobility,
And case management for economic stability.

Our Housing for Seniors and the Mobility Impaired,
Offers features and services that can’t be compared.
Our professional staff is supportive and giving,
With countless services for independent living.
For those who reside in RCAP’s great care,
Our teams will provide for ALL who live there.

Our Environmental Crew work with communities to ensure,
The water that pours from the tap is pure.
From Maine to Pennsylvania, we offer technical assistance,
For those in rural regions, we’ll travel the distance.
Whether it’s wastewater, mapping, training, and more,
We’ll assess your infrastructure, and help settle the score.

The Caribbean Team helps the islands with pollution,
Teaching about recycling, and solid waste solutions.
We offer disaster planning, and prepare for the future,
Should climate change impact your region and need suture.
Financial assistance for septic or well repair,
We’re here for our communities, never despair!

Here in Massachusetts, we’re Advocating for Change,
For private well homeowners, who may need a range,
Of regulations for education, testing, and support,
Should their water tests come up short,
And need repair to keep families in good health,
For every resident, across the Commonwealth.

Our Administrative Staff provides support to our programs,
IT keeps us online, and safely protected from scams.
Finance cuts checks and keeps the books in balance,
HR supports the organization, hiring people with talents.
Marketing ensures the public is in the know,
And Development guarantees that funding won’t slow.

In the Northeast our influence spreads, far and wide in stride,
In Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, forever shall we reside.
Fostering community’s power, potential, a bond we unify,
In this commitment, our focus and unity lie.

Nurturing strength, resilience, and confidence, our gift to bestow,
Supporting individuals, families, communities, helping them grow.

Solid Waste Case Study: Municipality of Comerío, Puerto Rico’s Recycling Program Re-Opening, Facilities, and Permits

Written By: Edwin Vázquez-Asencio, Sustainable Materials Management Specialist

BACKGROUND: After the hit of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, the high volume of debris and waste stressed the limited capacity of Comerío’s municipality to deal with it. They depend on a small Transfer Station (TS) for the management of the materials and waste to be disposed. A Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) with noticeable challenges was part of the strategy but it ends in the closing of the program in 2019, adding significant pressure to their TS and incrementing the cost of the operation running over its capacity. The process to reopen the MRF and reduce the waste, and the operational cost required an operator with technical knowledge about the materials but also, about facilities, development, and permits.

THE CHALLENGE: The new operator was established as a non-profit organization, different than the municipality, and should work on the existing facilities. New permits were required, and the regulators requested protocols for noise and contamination controls, and the information to support the actions to be taken. The operator’s limited capacity and the lack of information on the part of the regulators made this task difficult and the permit was denied.

THE APPROACH & SOLUTION: The RCAP TAP conducted a brief assessment of the MRF facilities and revised the regulation about the specific request. All the equipment specifications and facility areas were considered in the evaluation, including noise generation according to the industrial levels permitted. Sound levels were taken and recommendations to establish the necessary controls were discussed with the operator. The information required to satisfy the permits’ application was included, based on the regulations. The TAP consulted with the regulators and the application was submitted by the operator granting the permits that were previously denied.

THE IMPACT: This project is of great importance, since it is a model based on the expansion towards the circular economy of materials that are not currently processed in Puerto Rico. It is expected that this MRF will become a HUB for the processing of materials collected by other communities and municipalities. For the Municipality of Comerío, it is very important since it immediately reduced the cost of operating the TS, and the final disposal of materials that can be recovered from the waste stream. The RCAP TAP continues to provide guidelines and alternatives to improve the system, and coordinated a meeting with USDA to evaluate possible grant programs that could help in the development of the facilities.

RCAP Solutions’ Caribbean Team Participates in USDA Rural Development Stakeholder Meeting with Secretary of Agriculture

Written By: Juan Campos Collazo, Community Specialist

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Thomas Vilsack, hosted a discussion with stakeholders in Puerto Rico, including community groups and economic development officials, to discuss the importance and impact of the Rural Partners Network (RPN). The purpose of this conversation was to encourage further development of the community networks. Secretary Vilsack wanted to hear directly from stakeholders about the benefits, opportunities, and their hopes for the RPN in Puerto Rico.

Background: In April 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration and USDA launched the Rural Partners Network, an all-of-government program to help people living in rural areas access federal funding and resources to create thriving communities. The network is working in 36 rural and tribal community networks; three of those community networks will serve regions in Puerto Rico. These community networks were selected through a series of deliberations with state directors and teams from RPN states, and additional consultations with prospective community networks. Each of these networks will be supported by up to four full-time federal staff who live and work locally. These community liaisons help communities navigate federal programs, build relationships, identify community-driven solutions, and develop successful applications for funding.

Cohort I: The first RPN Cohort was announced in April 2022 and included the launch of community networks in Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and New Mexico.

Presently, participating community networks are selecting their initial projects and refining their long-term priorities (i.e., future projects); USDA will organize federal partners to support these initial projects in an effort to secure early wins on behalf of the network. Additionally, thirteen staff have been hired to support these community networks with the only outstanding positions being an additional liaison in Mississippi, Kentucky, and New Mexico, and supervisory positions in Mississippi, Georgia, and Kentucky. Every Cohort I state has some level of RPN staff in place that are engaging with networks to facilitate a community-driven vision.

Cohort II: The second RPN Cohort includes Wisconsin, West Virginia, Nevada, Puerto Rico, Alaska, and North Carolina. Secretary Vilsack announced the inclusion of Puerto Rico in November 2022, but did not announce the specific community networks in Puerto Rico (nor in Alaska) since the selection process was interrupted by recent natural disasters.

Secretary Vilsack wanted to know from each of the panelists about the kind of work we do and how it relates to the Rural Partners Network. RCAP Solutions staff explained that we are part of a national affiliate, the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), providing rural communities with on-site technical assistance and training to help small, rural communities address their drinking water, wastewater, and other community development needs. In addition, RCAP Solutions staff elaborated on how we help these communities access dollars from state and federal agencies for necessary infrastructure upgrades and improvements. RCAP Solutions also acts as a liaison between these communities and USDA Rural Development funding programs in Puerto Rico. The technical assistance provided by RCAP Solutions to the communities is free of charge and is funded under the grants from the USDA , EPA, and HHS.

A question arose from the secretary about what we consider to problems in achieving economic development. The mayor of Coamo, Puerto Rico pointed out the decrease of population as one of the most relevant problems, because of the lack of professionals, the decrease of laborers, and the decrease of economic movement. The mayor of Villalba, Puerto Rico mentioned the lack of agriculture development in Puerto Rico as a problem, and noted a dependance on foreign imports.

RCAP Solutions expressed that not all the rural communities have the commitment to improve their capacity and our work depends on community collaboration to achieve their goals and improve their quality of life.

Finally, the secretary advised to all the partners, especially the mayors, to first identify an economical driver and then write proposals based on it. He referenced the example from the mayor of Villalba, who identified the agriculture as an economical driver. The meeting ended with the thanks from Secretary Vilsack and from the USDA Rural Development State Director for Puerto Rico, Maximiliano Tujillo.

Juncos’ Landfill Repairs and Expansion After Hurricane Maria

Written By: Edwin Vázquez-Asencio, Sustainable Materials Management Specialist

Juncos municipality is in the eastern central region of Puerto Rico. Juncos’ landfill receives approximately 35,105 tons of non-hazardous solid waste each year. In 2017, winds from Hurricane Maria destroyed the facility’s leachate collection system, creating a serious health and safety hazard for neighboring communities and was at risk of contaminating underground water resources and nearby streams. The storm’s effects also reduced the landfill’s capacity by 20% and severely reduced its predicted lifespan.

The main challenge was to define the project and determine how the municipality could finance the necessary repairs that were imperative to address this problem. Our goal was to protect the community’s health, assist them in achieving compliance, and support the transition of the facility into a sanitary landfill system. In addition, the community also needed to account for the capacity overflow due to the extraordinary amount of debris which the landfill received in the aftermath of the disaster.

The RCAP Solutions staff served as a fundamental liaison between the municipality, stakeholders, and USDA Rural Development as we assisted the municipality in achieving compliance. Our technical assistance provider coordinated and conducted a training about disaster assistance grant funding and guided them throughout the process, outlining key elements to completing a successful application for USDA funds.

USDA Rural Development awarded Juncos’ Municipality with $23.7 million in grant funding to repair its landfill facilities. The facilities will be expanded to achieve compliance, and in addition, the community’s health will no longer be at risk due to the damage caused by the hurricane.