Well Drilling

Shallow Well Drilling is a key component of Lifewater’s water programs. In many of the areas where Lifewater works, surface water may be absent or contaminated, but safe water is available less than a few hundred feet below the ground. A shallow well is one that is less than 240 feet (80 meters) deep, which is the greatest depth at which a hand pump can effectively function. At greater depths, it becomes difficult for children to operate the pump and the pump components are more prone to failure. Shallow wells tend to be the most reliable and least expensive way, in the long term, for communities to access and maintain a safe water supply.

A typical village well with a hand pump can provide 5 gallons (20 liters) of water per person per day for approximately 500 people, though that number will vary depending on the type and age of the pump and the depth to groundwater.

Shallow wells can be installed using drilling equipment that is simple to operate and very portable. Therefore, Lifewater maximizes the number of communities it can assist by training our national partners’ crews to drill wells using small drilling rigs. The LS200 mud-rotary drill rig manufactured by Little Beaver Company is cost-effective, easy to operate, and can drill 200 feet in soft sediments, making it our preferred drilling equipment for training.

In some locations, geological factors such as hard rock or a very deep water table preclude the effective use of a shallow well drilling rig like the LS200. At these sites, it is necessary to use complex, expensive rigs to access groundwater. Lifewater also trains crews in these skills, although procuring these rigs and drilling deep wells in hard rock can be cost prohibitive.

Lifewater sends qualified North American volunteer field trainers to work side-by-side with national crews for three to four weeks at a time. The national crews learn to use the LS200 drilling equipment to drill shallow water wells. Lifewater continues to provide training and equipment for its partners until they are able to continue on their own. Some crews have been drilling wells for over fifteen years. Once the crew is trained, we donate the drilling equipment and the crew continues drilling water wells and installing hand pumps throughout the region where needed.

Lifewater also teaches national drill crews to involve the local community through the formation of a village water committee. This committee actively participates in the selection of the well site, helps organize the community’s contribution toward well construction, and oversees the maintenance of the well. Commitment and oversight by the village water committee is critical to the sustainability of the water supply.

This program is implemented by Lifewater’s volunteer field trainers and staff for the purpose of building the capacity of our national partners. For information on US-based training opportunities in this program area, see our Stateside Training section.

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