iDrate Project - Striving for Professionalism in Cost-Effective Boreholes (SPICE)

The goal of the project is that “Stakeholders approaches to the provision of water wells in rural areas and small rural towns are streamlined in accordance with best international practices”.

Improved groundwater supplies (particularly drilled and hand dug water wells) provide a significant proportion of rural dwellers with access to safe water within a reasonable distance of their home. It is estimated that about 60,000 boreholes per year need to be drilled in sub-Saharan Africa alone to meet the MDG Target. Groundwater is almost ubiquitous in nature and can be developed relatively cheaply and progressively to meet demand. It often has a lower capital cost than surface water, generally has excellent natural quality and can normally be used without treatment. Groundwater usually has at least some cover to protect it from the threat of pollution from human activities. However, concerns have been raised about varying construction quality and high costs of drilled water wells. Given the massive need for improved water supplies coupled with limited investment, there is an urgent need to fully understand the extent of these concerns, build on strengths and address weaknesses.

The Cost-Effective Boreholes (CEB) flagship of the Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) was established in 2005, initially to address the concerns of high construction prices and poor construction quality. The term “cost-effective” means optimum value for money invested over the long term. Water wells are drilled to function for a lifespan of 20 to 50 years. Thus, the lowest cost well is not always the most cost-effective, particularly if construction quality is compromised to save money. Cheap drilling or poor construction quality can lead to premature failure of the well or contamination of the water supply. Water wells that are subsequently abandoned by the users are clearly not cost effective.

Over a five year period, a number of studies were undertaken, resulting in the production of a Code of Practice for Cost-Effective Boreholes. This document provides a systematic framework for national Governments and their development partners to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of existing policies and practices; provides the foundation for the development of national protocols for cost-effective water well provision; enables international organisations, private enterprises and NGOs to examine whether they are working on accordance with best international practices and finally can be used by donor organisations in order to reflect on the relevance of their funding conditionalities and enable the identification of key areas for donor support, knowledge exchange and technical assistance.

This project, to be implemented over a five-year period builds on the strength of the Code of Practice and comprises five main project components with the following objectives:

1. Global Coordination and Advocacy

• By 2015, raised awareness of the nine principles for Cost-Effective Boreholes and how they can be adhered to by National Governments in ten countries.
• By 2015 raised awareness of the nine principles for Cost-Effective Boreholes and how they can be adhered to by the African Development Bank, USAID and other key international stakeholders involved in the provision of improved water supplies in rural areas.

2. Country Level Processes and Monitoring

• By 2015 ten countries have developed national protocols and are implementing action plans for cost-effective boreholes.

3. Changing Practices in key international organisations

• By 2015, at least two key international organisations have developed procedures/framework with respect to cost-effective water well provision in line with the nine principles set out in the Code of Practice.

4. Capacity Building

• By 2015, skills in water well siting, procurement, contract management, drilling costing and pricing and supervision have been enhanced in ten countries.

5. Sharing

• Good practices with respect to cost-effective boreholes are documented and shared widely to other rural water supply stakeholders by 2015.

The project will provide specific inputs to professionalise water well drilling in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda and Zambia as set in the map out (right). Work is also commencing to introduce the Code of Practice in Sri Lanka.

The total budget for the five-year project is CHF 2.4 million.

Skat Foundation is undertaking the overall coordination of this project, in partnership with WaterAid and UNICEF and with the involvement of the International Association for Hydrogeologists (IAH). The country work is undertaken in partnership with National Governments and private sector consultants and drilling companies.

There are a set of 21 specific outputs from the project in relation to Global Coordination and Advocacy, Country Level Processes, Changing Practices in key International Organisations, Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange