Perspectives are different frameworks from which to explore the knowledge around sustainable sanitation and water management. Perspectives are like filters: they compile and structure the information that relate to a given focus theme, region or context. This allows you to quickly navigate to the content of your particular interest while promoting the holistic understanding of sustainable sanitation and water management.
Well disinfection is used to inactivate or control bacteria populations in a well and the distribution system. This brochure describes the simple chlorination method.
AAFC (n.y): Water Well Disinfection – Using the Simple Chlorination Method. Water Stewardship Information Series. Ottawa: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDF
Many people living in coastal regions rely on shallow groundwater for their water supply. Seawater flooding after a severe storm or tsunami can damage wells and contaminate the groundwater. This technical note provides advice for rehabilitating wells in such circumstances. It should be used in conjunction with Technical Note 1 which provides general information about rehabilitating wells after a disaster.
VILHOLTH, K. (2013): Cleaning Wells after Seawater Flooding. Technical Notes on WASH in Emergencies #15. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO) URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDF
This fact sheet contains a step-by-step procedure for performing a simple disinfection of private wells and water (plumbing) systems using chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite).
MDH (2012): Well and Water System Disinfection for Private Wells. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDF
This report provides a summary of the study on how to optimise the costs of boreholes construction in Zambia, Ghana and Burkina Faso.
DUFFAU, B. OUEDRAOGO, I. (2009): Burkina Faso: Summary of Findings of 2009 Study and Draft National Code of Conduct. Code of Practice for Cost-Effective Boreholes. St. Gallen: Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDF
This manual explains in practical terms the basic drilling techniques. It describes the use of fluid circulation in soft ground formations, and com- pressed air and hammers for hard rock. It discusses well design, types of pump and their installation, screen selection, and testing.
BALL, P. (2001): Drilled Wells. (= Series of Manuals on Drinking Water Supply , 6 ). St. Gallen: Swiss Centre for Development Cooperation in Technology and Management (SKAT) URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDF
Increasing access to groundwater is a high priority in Sub-Saharan Africa. One key to this is to reduce the costs of conventional drilling and borehole construction. This field note, describing a recent study in Ethiopia, sets out how this may be done.
CARTER, R. (2006): Ten-step Guide Towards Cost-effective Boreholes. Case Study of drilling costs in Ethiopia. St. Gallen: Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDF
This document provides a short summary of each of the hand drilling techniques being utilised today; a country-by-country overview of the extent of hand drilling taking place in select countries; an annotated list of organisations involved in promoting and supporting hand drilling and an extensive list of literature, from published articles to training materials and online videos.
DANERT, K. (2009): Hand Drilling Directory. St. Gallen: Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDFThe Rural Water Supply Network is a global knowledge network for rural water supply technologies and approaches. The website provides many excellent publications on various topics on rural development, particularly on hand drilled wells. This section presents an overview of the scale and type of hand drilling activity being undertaken in selected countries and the organisations involved.
This field note is written for water well drilling enterprises as well as other agencies, which manage, or are involved in drilling projects. Using a step-by-step approach it gives clear guidance on how to cost and price the construction of drilled water wells. It also provides tips on business management with an emphasis of the realities faced in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
DANERT, K. LUUTU, A. CARTER, R. OLSCHWESKI, A. (2010): Costing and Pricing. A Guide for Water Well Drilling Enterprises. St. Gallen: Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDF
As the quality of water can be seriously affected by a disaster or an emergency, it is best practice to disinfect all emergency water supplies. The most common way of disinfecting is with chlorine. This technical note explains why disinfection is important, why chlorine is used, how it works, how to test for its presence and where and when to test.
REED, B. (2011): Measuring Chlorine Levels in Water Supplies. Technical Notes on WASH in Emergencies #11. Leicestershire: Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDF
This RURAL WATER SUPPLY DESIGN MANUAL is the first of three related volumes prepared for the use of prospective and actual owners, operators, managements, technical staff, consultants, government planners and contractors of small Level III and Level II water supply systems in the Philippines.
THE WORLD BANK (2012): Rural Water Supply Design Manual. Volume I. Manila: The World Bank Office Manila URL [Accessed: 11.03.2019] PDF
Where access to construction material, tool and skills are limited, construction has to get on with simple and effective measures. This nicely illustrated manual explains how to upgrade small wells by means of constructing a concrete apron using only basic material and very limited equipment.
MORGAN, P. (2011): The Upgraded Family Well. How to Construct. Harare: Aquamor Pvt Ltd. URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDF
This book provides a general introduction to a wide range of technologies. Among the topics covered are: planning and management of small water supplies, community water supplies in Central and Eastern European countries, water quality and quantity, integrated water resources management, artificial recharge, rainwater harvesting, spring water tapping, groundwater withdrawal, water lifting, surface water intake, water treatment, aeration, coagulation and flocculation, sedimentation, multi-stage filtration, desalination technology, disinfection, household level water treatment, technologies for arsenic and iron removal from ground water, and emergency and disaster water supply. Chapter 9: Pumping
SMET, J. ; WIJK, C. van (2002): Small Community Water Supplies: Technology, People and Partnership: Pumping - Chapter 9. The Hague: International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC) URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDF
This book is written in a non-technical language and elaborates on the construction of a shallow well, its protection, and the improvement of a traditional well.
LAVER, S. (1970): Well Digging - A Guide to the Construction and Protection of Hand Dug Wells. Eschborn: Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDF
This book provides a general introduction to a wide range of technologies. Among the topics covered are: planning and management of small water supplies, community water supplies in Central and Eastern European countries, water quality and quantity, integrated water resources management, artificial recharge, rainwater harvesting, spring water tapping, groundwater withdrawal, water lifting, surface water intake, water treatment, aeration, coagulation and flocculation, sedimentation, multi-stage filtration, desalination technology, disinfection, household level water treatment, technologies for arsenic and iron removal from ground water, and emergency and disaster water supply. Chapter 10: Groundwater Withdrawal
SMET, J. ; WIJK, C. van (2002): Small Community Water Supplies: Technology, People and Partnership: Groundwater Withdrawal - Chapter 10. The Hague: International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC) URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDF
This technical note suggests guidelines for choosing the most appropriate surface water source for a community. It describes methods for measuring the quantity of water available from a surface source, and establishes four priorities for source selection.
WFTW (n.y): Selecting a Source of Surface Water. Technical Note No. RWS. 1.P.3. Washington, D.C.: Water for the World (WFTW), U.S. Agency for International Development URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDFThis manual by the Public Water Supply Systems in Nebraska suggests a step-by-step guide to the completion of the Wellhead protection area management planning process on a community-based level.
Using case studies of wind pump installation projects, the article outlines the challenges facing the dissemination of wind pumps in Africa and the benefits of windpumps to rural and remote areas. Policy options that may improve the dissemination and use of windpumps are proposed.
HARRIES, M. (n.y): Disseminating Windpumps in Rural Kenya – Meeting Rural Water Needs using Locally Manufactured Windpumps. Thika (Kenya): Bob Harries Engineering Limited. URL [Accessed: 08.03.2019] PDF