Architecture and engineering firm PS&S is sponsoring a water project by nonprofit Green Empowerment to bring clean drinking water to about 300 residents in Nicaragua.
El Paraisito, a farming village in Pueblo Nuevo, is located within the country's dry corridor, a region prone to water scarcity. Residents have long relied on unprotected, poorly maintained wells that are often far from their homes, forcing women and children to spend hours collecting water and exposing them to health risks.
To address this, Green Empowerment sought financial support from PS&S and partnered with the Federation of Rural Farmers (Federación de Campesinos, or FEDICAMP) to build a water system that makes clean drinking water more accessible for the community.
This system includes a machine-drilled well, filtration and chlorination treatment, storage tanks, a two-mile pipeline, and metered household connections. The project also involves training to ensure local residents can manage and maintain the system.
"As an architecture and engineering firm, we understand water utilities and, while we are not responsible for design and construction, PS&S has lent financial assistance," said John Sartor, president and CEO of PS&S.
According to UNICEF, more than 4 billion people experience water scarcity at least one month a year, and over 2 billion live in countries with inadequate water.
By constructing a water system, Green Empowerment, FEDICAMP, and PS&S are helping residents gain easier access to clean drinking water. With a closer water source, women and children no longer need to make long trips — improving health, safety, and quality of life.
The New Jersey-based PS&S' contribution to financing the project reflects the growing trends of companies funding infrastructure and green initiatives in developing areas. Similar efforts include Amazon's water project in India and URB's net-zero city in South Africa.
These efforts reflect a broader movement toward supporting sustainable development and corporate responsibility — something individuals can encourage by supporting green initiatives from mainstream brands.
"This important project is a way for us to help a good cause in a country that has connections to our area with sizable Nicaraguan American communities in Hudson, Bergen and Passaic counties as well as many other parts of the Tri-state area," Sartor said.
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Andrea Johnson, executive director of Green Empowerment, added: "Working with an engineering firm like PS&S, who really gets both the technical side of things and the heart of our mission, is a win-win for us and for the people of El Paraisito."
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