Church aids Mexican community with sustainable water solution

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made a significant contribution to the community of Villa de Santa Ana Nichi in Mexico by donating a drinking water system. The donation, made on February 18, 2025, aims to address the longstanding issue of access to clean and safe water, which has impacted the health and well-being of residents.

The project involved constructing a water system that includes a large concrete tank, durable pipes, and a solar-powered pump. Proposed and implemented by the local organization Juntos Podemos Más, this infrastructure will provide drinking water to five neighborhoods. It is expected to benefit 2,500 people, including elementary schools, the university, and a hospital. Additionally, 88 solar panels will be installed to ensure a reliable water supply while reducing operational costs.

Residents of Villa de Santa Ana Nichi have faced health challenges due to contaminated river and rainwater. The lack of access to drinking water has led many residents—particularly children and the elderly—to suffer from gastrointestinal and parasitic diseases. Before 2000, high rates of typhoid fever were also reported in the region. With this donation, the Church aims to improve residents' quality of life.

Elder Carlos A. Gabaldón, an Area Seventy representing the Church, expressed gratitude for collaborating with Juntos Podemos Más: “We are grateful for the opportunity to [collaborate] with Juntos Podemos Más and the community of Villa de Santa Ana Nichi to address this need,” he said. “We believe in the importance of helping our fellow beings meet their basic needs and build a better future.”

Octavio Alavez, delegate of Villa de Santa Ana Nichi and president of Juntos Podemos Más, thanked the Church: “A million thanks to the Church of Jesus Christ for trusting and believing in the people who live in this beautiful land [and] for bringing water where it is needed most. Let us be a chain of blessings. Let us do good for others as it has been done for us.”

The project includes a long-term sustainability plan whereby the community commits to covering maintenance costs for both solar panels and the water system. This commitment ensures that infrastructure will continue operating efficiently for years.