Janesville water superintendent brings expertise to Guatemala

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Beth Wheelock
April 21, 2010

Janesville's water superintendent doesn't take much of a break during her vacation time.

Katie Karow has used her vacation time the past three years to help provide clean water to villages in Guatemala.

She says clean water is pretty sparse there. Agriculture and weaving are the main sources of income in the indigenous Mayan areas she visits. She says there isn't a water conveyance system there, so women and children walk about three hours a day to haul water for their families. Karow works with the Wisconsin Water Association. Once the volunteers set up the water systems, the villages are responsible for the maintenance. The water travels to one spigot in the village, since the homes do not have running water. A meter on the spigot keeps track of fees, which are used for maintenance.

Karow says the water systems she has worked on in past years are still in operation.

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