Borehole Repair Provides Clean Water to 850

Heavy rains and flooding devastated Bukedea district along with many areas of northeastern Uganda in late 2007 and 2008. The village of Kachumbala was hit particularly hard, as flooding led to the failure of the only village well. With no other source of clean water, 850 families had no choice but to drink dirty surface water from a neighboring stream.

Working with community leaders, engineers and Ugandan government officials, ClearWater took action on March 15th and repaired the main village borehole. The entire pump mechanism was replaced with a new, easy-to-maintain system.

Evaluating the broken well

Children watch with excitement

Note chain around the broken pump head to ensure parts were not stolen

Rusted and cracked pipes are removed

A broken nozzle from the base of the water pump is removed

Installation of the new pump


Seating the new well head

Families line up for clean water

The community thanks ClearWater lead engineer, Moses Odong


Celebrating clean water!

Thanks from the village leadership

Location: Kachumbala Village, Bukedea District, northern Uganda
Completed: March 2009
Number of people affected: 850
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Project Costs
Site Clearance: $22
Dismantling of existing pump parts: $77
Supply and planting pedestal: $100
Casting of borehole apron concrete mix: $153
Ditto to apron curb and drainage: $64
200x200mm BRC wire for reinforcing the apron: $14
Provision for curing: $22
Borehole development: $233
Pump testing for yield determination: $302
Supply and installation of heavy-duty
UII water cylinder: $139
Supply and installation of UII pipes: $578
Supply and installation of connecting rods: $433
Supply and install UII water tank: $72
Supply and install heavy duty pump head: $233
Provide bolts and nuts: $4
Preparation of report: $11
Carry out three water quality tests: $75
Labor and Transportation (25%): $614
Grand Total: $3,146

The First ClearWater Project of 2009!

Thanks to the generous donations collected with the help of our friends at Verde Home, ClearWater began 2009 with the construction of a protected spring at Ocukura Village, Adekokwok sub-county, Lira, northern Uganda.

Ocukura Spring, October 2008.....

Ocukura is a community of 289 Ugandans led by James Ocakan. According to Mr. Ocakan, the community is slowly returning after many years displaced in refugee camps, but the village has only one above-ground watering hole.

Working with members of the local community throughout December 2008, ClearWater built a protected spring at Ocukura, consisting of a natural filter to both clean and channel the water through a clean pipe, eliminating much of the animal contamination and bacteria that flourish in stagnant water. Protected spring construction provides employment for members of the community, requires little long-term maintenance, and creates a sense of ownership among residents.

ClearWater is proud to announce a new innovation in protected spring construction with the project at Ocukura. In consultation with Mr. Ocakan and the community, ClearWater engineer Moses Odong built the first dedicated washing and bathing area just below the water collection area. This breaks the spring into three distinct spaces, a water collection point at the faucet, a private washing area below the potable water spout, and a runoff area for animals! Congratulations to Moses and the people of Ocukura for developing this simple, innovative solution to improve sanitation and reduce cross-contamination to their potable water supply!

Location: Ocukura Village, Adekokwok sub-county, Lira, northern Uganda
Completed: January 2009
Number of people affected: 289
______________________________________

Project Costs
Cement (15 bags): $243.75
Bricks (700 bags): $65.63
Sand (2 tons): $62.50
Aggregates (1 ton): $93.75
Red stone and filter medium (5 tons): $406.25
Polythene paper (50m): $31.25
Pipe: $37.50
Transport: $187.50
Contractor labor and Misc: $162.50
ClearWater Admin (10%): $119.06
Total $1,409.69

Decongestion Camp Borehole Repair


Awere is a camp for nearly 800 Ugandans displaced by conflict with the Lords Resistance Army. As the war comes to an end, displaced Ugandans first move from overcrowded camps to "decongestion" camps. Decongestion camps are closer to home villages, but allow villagers to maintain some of the safety and security found in larger group settlements.

The borehole in Awere camp has been broken for several years. Residents of the camp drink straight from the Aswa river, nearly a mile from the settlement. Camp leader is Mr. Muzee Ojok.

Thanks to the generous contribution of ClearWater supporters, our colleague Moses Odongo spent the second week of September, 2008, successfully reconstructing and repairing the well. In coordination with community leaders and the Pader District Water Officer, ClearWater replaced the pump head and riser pipes to a depth of 60 meters.




Location: Awere, Pader District, Uganda
Completed: September 2008
Number of people affected: 800

Project Costs
Welding of a stand for the pump handle and writing: $93.75
Dismantling of existing pumps: $50.00
Supply & installation of pump head: $168.75
Water tank: $137.50
Supply & installation of UII pipes (GI) (18): $562.50
Supply and installation of connecting rods (19): $296.88
Supply and installation of cylinder head: $112.50
Installation of soak pit: $93.75
Supply and installation of bearings (4): $75.00
Construction of apron: $312.50
Pedestal: $200.00
Blowing: Included
Transport cost: $375.00
Contractor Labor & miscellaneous (35%): $867.34
ClearWater Administrative Costs (10%): $334.55
TOTAL: $3,680.02


(Thanks to Moses Odongo for his excellent photographs of the Awere project)

Primary School Borehole Repair

Akworo primary school supports 238 boys and 212 girls, ages 8 – 14. The school has one borehole which had been been broken for several years. Until Without a functioning borehole, students would collect drinking water from a nearby swamp.

In mid-September, 2008,ClearWater worked with district and community leaders to repair the borehole at Akworo primary school. Repairs required replacement of the entire pump mechanism with an “India Model UII” pump head, the standardized wellhead model in the region.

Repairs went late into the night as ClearWater engineers were forced to pull pipes much deeper than expected. Young schoolchildren stayed close, excited to learn and anxious for clean water at the school.




ClearWater staff were so excited to support the community and repair the well that we chose to work after dark rather than break and wait another day for clean water at Akworo.

Finally, near 11pm, the work was finished. Children continue to drink clean water at Awere today.

Unfortunately, teachers still will not stay overnight at the school due to fears of renewed rebel violence.


Location: Akworo Village, Kitgum District, Uganda
Completed: September 2008
Number of people affected: 450

Project Costs
Welding of a stand for the pump handle and writing: $93.75
Dismantling of existing pumps: $50.00
Supply & installation of pump head: $168.75
Water tank: $137.50
Supply & installation of UII pipes (GI) (18): $562.50
Supply and installation of connecting rods (19): $296.88
Supply and installation of cylinder head: $112.50
Installation of soak pit: $93.75
Supply and installation of bearings (4): $75.00
Construction of apron: $312.50
Pedestal: $200.00
Blowing: Included
Transport cost: $375.00
Contractor Labor & miscellaneous (35%): $867.34
ClearWater Administrative Costs (10%): $334.55
TOTAL: $3,680.02


(Thanks to Moses Odongo for his excellent photographs of the Akworo project)

Thanks to the generous support provided by Greg Schulz and participants in the 2008 Schulzie Invitational Golf Tournament, ClearWater repaired the broken well at Oboko Primary School in May 2008 providing clean water to 600 children.

Oboko primary school, located in Otuke County, Lira District, northern Uganda, was used as a refugee feeding center at the height of the war against the rebel Lords Resistance Army. Although It's unclear when the school borehole was destroyed, it was likely done by the LRA in order to forcerefugees to flee the area.

Prior to the ClearWater repairs, students at Oboko travel 3 - 5km every day for drinking water. This trek significantly cut into time for studies, and placed young girls at risk when they were forced to walk long distances alone to collect water.

When ClearWater conducted an initial assessment of the well, our engineers determined that the actual hole at Oboko was still good and tapped into a secure aquifer. However, the pump head mechanism was missing and all riser pipes inside the well shaft needed to be replaced. The cost for a new pump head, installation and rehabilitiation of the existing hole was $2,500.

After several days labor, ClearWater successfully repaired the well at Oboko. ClearWater installed an India UII manual pump head, a model easily repaired maintained by sub-County water officials.

A wooden fence was placed around the hole to guard against cattle, but the fence was removed by local herders about a month after repairs were completed. ClearWater continues to work with the local community to maintain the fence.

Location: The school itself is located in Ating parish, Orum sub-county, Otuke county, Lira District, in northern Uganda. Here's a rough map link:
Total Cost: $2,500
Population affected: 600 primary school children

In April 2008, ClearWater Initiative completed construction of a protected spring at Apookeni village.

Apookeni was a frequent passageway for rebels of the Lords Resistance Army during the violent conflict in northern Uganda which has lasted more than 20 years. Even as ClearWater began to filter this spring, local women and children had no choice but to continue drinking the turbid water.

The soil around Apookeni is largely composed of clay which leeches into the drinking water. Runoff from animal waste and fertilizer from nearby fields has also contaminated this source. Finally, wild animals drink from the stagnant pool. these factors contribute to a high rate of diarrheal disease in children around Apookeni who drink from the polluted source.

To build a protected spring, we first dig a trench 20 meters from the existing pond, upstream along the clean underground spring.

We hire local villagers to collect small stones and buy homemade bricks from the community, as a way of creating a sense of ownership and ensuring funds are spent at a local level. Sometimes villagers are hired, or even volunteer, to help with ClearWater protected spring projects.

ClearWater also purchases larger stones as part of the 3-tier natural filtration system.

And of course, people continue to come for water as the work progresses.





Once materials have been collected and a space for the natural filter has been dug out, we construct a retaining wall with steps to allow easy access to the water, now flowing through a PVC pipe. By simply elevating the water and channeling it through a clean pipe, we eliminate bacteria that flourish in stagnant water. The water is now free of animal waste, a major cause of childhood diarrheal disease.



The area above the spring is then filled in with three layers of natural filtering materials: sand, small stones and larger rocks, to catch large pieces of sediment which could otherwise flow through the pipes. Water not captured for human use will flow down an irrigation channel for animals to use.



The filter is covered with a thick tarp, and the tarp is then covered in rich topsoil. Local villagers work to plant a natural fence of thick, prickly bushes, which ensure that animals and people won't walk on the filter and possibly damage the tarp or compress the sand.

When constructed properly, protected springs like this one have been known to provide clean water for more than 20 years with only minimal maintenance.

Location: Ating Parish, Orum Sub-county, Otuke County, Lira District, Northern Uganda
Cost: $1150
Completed: April 2008
Number of people affected: 700


(Thanks to Moses Odongo for his excellent photographs of the Apookeni project)

The protected spring at Eyame Village is the second of two projects funded by donations collected around the ClearWater World Water Day 2008 launch event. Eyame is located in Lira district, and was heavily affected by the war. The project was identified by our local partners in Uganda, in consultation with Ugandan government officials, and is a textbook example of a well-constructed protected spring.

Before any work began, residents of Eyame had little choice but to drink slow moving and stagnant water, often contaminated with animal waste.



As with the project at Apookeni, ClearWater built a durable retaining wall to elevate the flow of water and dramatically reduce bacterial contamination in the water through animal waste.

A runoff channel below the spigot provides a place for animals to drink, virtually eliminating cross-contamination.

The natural filter of sand, small stones and larger rocks above the spigot is covered and planted with prickly shrubs to ensure that animals don't roam over the system and compact the soil.

And soon, clean and clear water is flowing!




Location: Eyame Village, Orum Sub-County, Otuke County, Lira District
Cost: $1150
Date completed: April 2008
Number of people affected: 400

(Thanks to Moses Odongo for his excellent photographs of the Eyami project)

Teobwolo Village is located in Apala sub-county, Lira District. The village consists of 120 families who rely largely on agriculture for subsistence. The village was displaced in 2001, when residents were forced into Aloi internally displaced persons camp by the Lords Resistance Army. Over the past three months, villagers have started to return but have been hampered by a lack of clean water. The only clean water source within 3km is at Teobwolo spring, a shallow spring. The green algae bloom visible in this picture was likely caused by contamination from animal waste and runoff from surrounding fields.

The village chief, Benson Odongo, reported high rates of diarrhea among local children, associated with drinking contaminated water.

On September 5th, 2007, ClearWater Initiative partnered with Framicon Construction to build a protected spring at the Teobwolo site.

Teobwolo has now become one of the busiest clean water spring sites in the sub-county!


Location: vic MGRS 36NWH1380061945 (Teobwolo Village, Apala sub-county, Lira District)
Total project cost: $800
Population affected: 500

The village of Ogedi in Bala sub-county, Apach District, Northern Uganda, was badly affected by 20 years of insurgency and conflict. Nearly 80% of the village was displaced and forced to move to internally displaced persons camps. As peace arrives in northern Uganda, the community has returned home. Their only potable water comes from a shallow spring which trickles to the surface in a mosquito-filled marsh. Local residents used this marsh for personal drinking water, cooking and washing. It was also the main watering hole for livestock.



Working closely with community leaders, ClearWater Initiative was able to turn the marsh into a protected spring with a natural filter. Dirty surface water is now cleaned through a filter of sand, rock and gravel before flowing out a PVC pipe through a solid cement wall. Excess water flows down a channel to support livestock. Local residents were also trained in basic system maintenance, and have taken the responsibility of cleaning the area and protecting the natural filter by planting grass over the area and constructing a bamboo fence around the site.

Total project cost: $800
Completed: November 2007
Population affected: 220 residents

Agweng spring is a vital source of potable water for several villages in Apala sub-county, Lira district. Agweng, meaning "comes from stones" because of the way water seems to naturally bubble from the volcanic soil, provides fresh water to nearly 2,000 people coming from up to 3km away in Apala, Aloi and Abiya internally displaced persons camps.

The water at Agweng, which flows clear and clean from the ground, pools in a natural pond which fills with runoff and animal feces from surrounding fields. In late September 2007, ClearWater, working with village leaders, built a protected spring over the site. This spring created a natural filter and added a raised "spigot" allowing the spring to bubble through three layers of natural filters (stone, gravel and sand) before flowing out a clean pipe.

The filter area is enclosed with a natural fence to keep animals away from the source, and includes a runoff channel providing a safe space for livestock to drink.

Local residents were trained in system maintenance, which requires only occasional cleaning of the spigot, maintenance of the natural fence, and cleaning of the filter site above the source of the spring.

Location: vic MGRS 36NWH1382162009 (Agweng, Apala sub-county, Lira district, Uganda)
Total project cost: $800
Completed: November 2007
Population affected: 2,000

ClearWater Grants

ClearWater Grants will not be available until sufficient donations are collected to support this effort. Check back often or contact us if you have any questions about the grants process!

ClearWater Initiative Seed Grants
The purpose of ClearWater Initiative Corporation is twofold: (1) to support water projects in international disasters; and (2) provide small grants for simple, innovative projects in complex humanitarian emergencies. The purpose of these small grants is to provide seed funding for relief professionals looking to develop projects that will advance technical aspects of international disaster response, with an emphasis on provision of essential services for refugees and internally displaced populations. ClearWater hopes that these grants will ease some of the financial and administrative burdens realized by humanitarian relief professionals working to develop innovative response systems and tools.

Eligibility
The pool of potential grantees will consist of any humanitarian relief professional who has spent at least two (2) years working overseas with an internationally recognized humanitarian relief organization. Eligible recipients will have documented evidence of participation in at least two (2) distinct international disaster response missions. Under exceptional circumstances, ClearWater may consider candidates who do not satisfy the above requirements.  The availability of grants will be made known to selected humanitarian relief organizations.  ClearWater will also seek recommendations from experienced humanitarian relief professionals as to potential recipients.  Such recommendations cannot include any humanitarian relief professional who is a family member of, or associated in any way with the recommender above and beyond that of an employee of the recommender’s institution. 
 
Criteria For Selecting Grantees
Potential grantees will be evaluated on the following criteria that is reasonably related to advancing the technical state of the art in international humanitarian relief and disaster response. The criteria includes the following:

1. Professional background and experience
2. Quality of proposal
3. Proposed methodology
4. Monitoring and evaluation plan
5. Cost

To ensure that each potential grantee is evaluated properly on each criterion, potential recipients will be required to submit a written application form containing biographical information, a brief written statement explaining the potential grantee’s commitment to disaster response, and a brief description of the proposed project, methodology, monitoring and evaluation criteria, and budget. 

Important Dates and Applications

Applications will be available as soon as sufficient funds are raised to support this initiative. Check back soon!

Support the ClearWater Seed Grants Program

Learn More!

• ClearWater Initiative Grantmaking Procedures