MANUAL WELL DRILLING- GETTING DIRTY FOR CLEAN WATER

Well drilling in developing countries presents many challenges. The materials, transportation, and finances involved with traditional drilling methods often forms barriers against achieving clean drinking water sources for those who need it most. The Bolivian Baptist Well Drilling Method, developed by Terry Waller of Water for All International, was created to combat these issues. The drilling method is unique in that it uses only locally available materials and can be easily adapted to even the most remote villages. By simplifying the drill rig and using manual power the cost of drilling a borehole is drastically reduced.In this talk I will go step by step through the manual method from on site creation of a drill rig, the drilling process, and final well development. I will also present local variations on how the method has been adapted to succeed in different locations. The manual drilling method has been implemented in many developing countries and has proven sucessful as a low cost, logistically viable alternative to traditional well drilling.