Self-supporting community- based mitigation program that provides arsenic safe water using modified dugwells along with public education on water related health effects.

Narrative

This dugwell #PW94JHDN2 is located in the village Gowalbathan at the Jhowdanga Panchayet in Gaighata. Narayan Mondol donated the site for the community.

  • Impact Assessment (M&E) Phase Project completed on 31 Dec, 2009 Implementation Phase
  • Implementation Phase Project started on 1 Jan, 2009 Preparation Phase

Self-supporting community- based mitigation program that provides arsenic safe water using modified dugwells along with public education on water related health effects.

Narrative

This dugwell #PW94JHDN2 is located in the village Gowalbathan at the Jhowdanga Panchayet in Gaighata. Narayan Mondol donated the site for the community.

Sustainability

Creating and measuring long-term impact

The users would require to purchase theoline, the disinfectant, and also repair minor wear and tear. The dugwells will be visited by the field workers every month for one year to get technical and utility reports followed by inspection once or twice a year.

Other Issues

Unusual and unexpected issues faced during project execution

Research and Development is part of the project. The Arsenic level is 29 PPB (BIS stnd is 50PPB)and the date of report October 22, 2009. The Total coliform is 205 CFU/100ml and Fecal coliform is 24 CFU/100ml. Report date is Dec 7, 2009. Chlorination is done once a week.

Impact

People Getting Safe Drinking Water: 23

According the register record demographic data is Total=23; Families=7; Male=11, Female=12, children <5 = 0 and students =4. As of June 2010 this dugwell was dry in summer due to less rainfall in the preceding year. The monsoon rains have started that will bring back the users.

People Getting Other Benefits: 50

Public health education on arsenic health effects and personal hygiene is given to all the dugwell beneficiaries. A training program on the maintenance of the dugwells (including chlorination) is given to develop a sense of ownership and to make the program sustainable. There are five field workers working on the dugwell program who are selected from the arsenic afflicted villages. They are involved in site selection, village meetings during site selection, followed by construction of the wells and also follow up the on the technical faults of the dugwells and the number of users. The villagers are also shown VCDs on how to improve personal health and hygiene through proper practices. The office of Aqua Welfare Society is located in the village. The awareness programmer and experts of geology and technical knowhow are based in Kolkata who visit the village office and sites occasionally to create awareness amongst the user group, prospective users and students of schools. Trades like well-digging, pottery, and masonry, are required for the dugwell program and are benefiting from work generated by the project.

Maintenance/Operating Costs Annual, in US$: $40

Creating and measuring long-term impact

The users would require to purchase theoline, the disinfectant, and also repair minor wear and tear. The dugwells will be visited by the field workers every month for one year to get technical and utility reports followed by inspection once or twice a year.

Implementer: Project Well & Aqua Welfare Society

Aqua Welfare Society, AWS, is the partner NGO. Their office is based in the North 24 Parganas. The 8 honorary board members are located in Kolkata. There are only 5 field workers who are interacting with the villagers and beneficiaries, training the users on maintenance of the dugwells, organizing village meetings and health meetings. A technical advisor of AWS is based in Kolkata who visits the village occasionally and one awareness programmer who is in charge of awareness programs in the communities and educational institutions. There is an accountant and also a data entry person on part time basis.

Funding

funded:
$1,050
Final Cost:
$1,050

Plan/Proposal