Wells have been used to obtain water since ancient times. Some wells have been in continuous use for hundreds of years. Others are fairly new, but have been built by traditional methods. Good water quality can usually be obtained from a well that is properly constructed, maintained, and used. Some traditional wells are excellent. Others are not and need upgrading.
PICKFORD, J. (1990): Upgrading Traditional Wells. Leicestershire: WEDC, Loughborough University URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFLibrary
Helvetas Cameroon has been active for more than 10 years in water catchment protection in the North West Province. In this report a review is presented of the activities performed by Helvetas Cameroon in water catchment protection and the best practises are summarised.
WAARDE, J.J. van der (2004): Helvetas Cameroon Experiances in Catchment Protection Activities. Assessment. Bamenda: Helvetas Cameroon URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis comprehensive manual presents different pumps and water lifting techniques and elaborates on technology choice and the role of the institutional framework.
BAUMANN, E. (2000): Water Lifting. (= Series of Manuals on Drinking Water Supply , 7 ). St. Gallen: Swiss Centre for Development Cooperation in Technology and Management (SKAT) URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis guidance note points out the strengths and limitations of a number of low cost pumps. It provides an overview of the application, technical details, materials used, installation and maintenance, manufacturing requirements and costs of several low cost pumps, including information on the numbers installed and locations.
BAUMANN, E. (2011): Low-cost Hand Pumps. St. Gallen: Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis guide is intended for local NGO’s and the remote communities they represent, striving to improve the reliability and quality of the community’s drinking water. There are many ways to help a community to improve their drinking water supply. The information in this guide is meant to assist in examining whether or not a solar pumping solution is viable for your particular community.
RATTERMAN, W. COHEN, J. GARWOOD, A. (2007): Solar Pumping Systems (SPS). Introductory and Feasibility Guide. Portland: Green Empowerment URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis thesis evaluated various well chlorination systems and assessed the need for chlorination training and awareness raising in peri-urban Monrovia communities.
GARANDEAU, R. (2004): Chlorination for Hand Dug Wells in Peri-urban Monrovia, Liberia. Cranfield: Cranfield University at Silsoe URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis highly recommended publication comprises everything regarding the establishment of a water supply system based on (shallow) hand-dug wells for communities in the South. It elaborates on the underlying hydrogeological principles, preparatory investigations, design, construction, operation and maintenance, and it discusses the most common mistakes made in design and construction.
COLLINS, S. (2000): Hand-dug Shallow Wells. (= Series of Manuals on Drinking Water Supply , 5 ). St. Gallen: Swiss Centre for Development Cooperation in Technology and Management (SKAT) URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis document provided by Helvetas Cameroon describes an approach for the organisational and technical implementation of water catchment protection. This approach consists of 8 steps including sensitisation, feasibility studies, protection plans, land ownership, implementation, O&M, monitoring, and evaluation. This step-wise approach can be used as a guideline for implementing water catchment activities in village water supply systems.
WAARDE, J. van der MUSA, T.M. ISCHER, M. (n.y): Water Catchment Protection Handbook. (= Learning and Experience Sharing Series , 1 ). Bamenda: Helvetas Cameroon, Swiss Association for International Co-operation URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis case study analyses the impact of the treadle pump on smallholder poverty and food security in Malawi.
MANGISONI, J.H. (2006): Impact of Treadle Pump Irrigation Technology on Smallholder Poverty and Food Security in Malawi. A Case Study of Blantyre and Mchinji Districts. Lilongwe: University of Malawi URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFSelf-supply, where households invest to develop their own easily-accessible water supplies, is identified as an alternative service delivery model that is potentially complementary to more highly subsidised community-level provision. The approach is widespread in Ethiopia with family wells bringing additional benefits that are in line with wider government objectives, such as supporting small-scale irrigation. However, two recent studies show the current performance of traditional or family wells to be far below potential with most sources providing unsafe water in the absence of adequate protection.
BUTTERWORTH, J. ; SUTTON, S. ; MEKONTA, L. (2013): Self-Supply as a Complementary Water Services Delivery Model in Ethiopia. In: Water Alternatives: Volume 6 , 405-423. URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis technical note discusses the construction of spring boxes and collection systems, and outlines further construction steps.
WFTW (n.y): Constructing Structures for Springs. Technical Note No. RWS. 1.C.1.. Washington, D.C.: Water for the World (WFTW), U.S. Agency for International Development URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis report by UNEP provides an overview of current major water quality contaminants and the human activities that affect water quality. It details the impacts that poor water quality has on the environment, human health, and vulnerable communities, and quantifies the economic costs of poor water quality. Il also offers insights into specific solutions available to address water quality problems.
UNEP (2010): Clearing the Waters. A Focus on Water Quality Solutions. Oakland: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFHand dug wells may need repairing, cleaning and disinfecting after inundation by flood- or seawater or after long periods of insufficient maintenance. This Technical Brief elaborates on the process of repairing; cleaning and disinfecting hand dug wells and also discusses the OXFAM kits, which can be used for this purpose.
OXFAM (n.y): Repairing, Cleaning and Disinfection Hand Dug Wells. OXFAM Technical Briefs. Washington D.C.: Oxfam International Advocacy URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis technical note describes the planning needed to use surface water (as well as spring water) sources in terms of various planning steps: recognising the problem, organising community support, setting objectives, etc.
WFTW (n.y): Planning How to Use Sources of Surface Water. Technical Note No. RWS. 1.P.1. Washington, D.C: Water for the World (WFTW), U.S. Agency for International Development URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDF