Self-supporting community- based mitigation program that provides arsenic safe water using modified dugwells along with public education on water related health effects.
Narrative
In some areas a dugwell may become dry or contain low volume of water due to any of the following factors:
(i) located near a river channel that gets almost dry in summer;
(ii) far distance from a perennial water body;
(iii) due to the amount of annual rainfall.
It has been observed that in 2007, 18% of the dugwells in the PWSET1 area were affected. The composition of soil in this part of the region is such that it gets impossible to dig manually due to sand boiling that starts at around the depth of 14 feet. One of the solutions to this phenomenon is to deepen the dugwell. Considering the rural setup where large equipments cannot be transported, the technical advisor developed a new design that has enabled the depth of this dugwell, by overcoming the sand boiling, to 21 feet. The level of water of this dugwell will be observed for 2-5 years.
Sustainability
Creating and measuring long-term impact
Initially users are trained to treat water with the disinfectant supplied by field workers of local NGO. Each family to contribute Rs.10 per month for maintenance cost to buy theoline (average Rs.20/- per month) and for repair work if any.
Other Issues
Unusual and unexpected issues faced during project execution
Research and Development is part of the project. The arsenic level was 8 PPB tested on 30th June 2008. The Total coliform and Fecal coliform are both 'undetected'. Date of water collection for bacteria tests was on 6th December 2008.
Learnings
Knowledge of project and process for sharing
The cost of this design, using a special 12" diameter PVC pipe, is 60% more than the Project Well formulated modified dugwell. If this new design works it may be considered in future because it is more important to provide arsenic safe water to the people throughout the year.
Impact
People Impacted: 16
People Getting Safe Drinking Water: 16
According to the register record of January 2013 the total consumers=15; Families=5;
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According to the register record of July 2011 the total consumers=18; Families=6; Male=10, Female=8, children <5 =1 and students = 4.
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According to the register there are 11 families and 46 consumers, Male=26, Female=20 and child <5 =1.
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 numebr of users. The villagers are also shown VCDs on how to improve personal health and hygeine through proper practices. The office of Aqua Welfare Society is located in the village and the coordinator and the account asistant / data entry person travel from Kolkata to meet with them weekly. Trades like well-digging, pottery, and masonry, are required for the dugwell program and are benefiting from work generated by the project.
