Auburn engineering students work to improve quality of lives in Guatemala, Bolivia

Families of tiny Saloj, Guatemala, prayed for this day. Water gushed into the community for the first time in 12 years. Villagers cried happy tears, danced, and even shot fireworks. Potable water was accessible only by collecting rainwater or paying exorbitant fees to have it delivered by truck. Clothes weren’t often washed. Basic hygiene was minimized. Hydration was compromised. Until Auburn engineers stepped in last summer. Students designed a concrete basin to collect nearby spring water and a three-kilometer distribution network that carried the stream 500 meters downhill – directly to the