COST OF A
WELL
THERE ARE MANY FACTORS IN DETERMINING THE COST OF A WELL AND WE CALL THEM:
"4D COST AMPLIFIERS"
- DISTANCE
- DEPTH
- DIFFICULTY
- DESIGN
1. DISTANCE:
COMMUNITIES IN NEED OF WATER ARE FAR FROM MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
UNDERSTANDABLY, TRANSPORTATION IS A MAJOR COST.
- DIESEL FUEL IS APPROXIMATELY $4 USD per GALLON (~$615.00 CFA per LITER).
- ROADS IN NIGER ARE RARELY MAINTAINED OR NON-EXISTENT.
- VEHICLE BREAKDOWNS & FLAT TIRES ARE COMMONPLACE.
2. DEPTH:
NIGER HAS A WIDE RANGE OF GROUND-SURFACE TO WATER-TABLE DISTANCES.
SOME SHALLOW BOREHOLES PRODUCE WATER, BUT SOME NEED TO BE DRILLED VERY DEEP.
THE DEPTH OF A BOREHOLE DRASTICALLY INFLUENCES THE COST OF A WELL:
- DEPTH REQUIRES MORE DIESEL, PVC CASING, & INCREASES EQUIPMENT WEAR/TEAR.
- DEPTH REQUIRES MORE POWER TO DRAW THE WATER.
- ELECTRIC PUMPS BECOME NECESSARY, WHICH COST MORE THAN MANUAL PUMPS.
- DEEP WELLS PULL LESS WATER.
- DEEP WELLS NEED ELEVATED HOLDING TANKS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE UNINTERRUPTED SUPPLY.
- ELECTRIC COMPONENTS REQUIRE SOLAR PANELS AND VARIOUS ELECTRONICS.
- DEEPER WATER-TABLES ALSO REQUIRE WATERING TROUGHS FOR LIVESTOCK.
CATTLE IN THE CARE OF PEOPLE FROM COMMUNITIES IN THE CARE OF WELLS 4 WELLNESS DRINK CLEANER/FRESHER WATER THAN PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL WAITING FOR US TO DRILL THEM A WELL. HELP US RAISE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT DRINK WATER THAT IS AS PRISTINE AS THE WATER THAT THESE COWS DRINK.
WHY WELLS 4 WELLNESS?
3. DIFFICULTY:
DRILL SITES IN NIGER HAVE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT SOIL FACTORS TO ACCOUNT FOR.
BOREHOLES ARE VERTICAL COLUMNS THAT HOLLOW THROUGH VARIOUS SAND, ROCK, MUD, & GRANITE SUBSTRATES.
UNFORTUNATELY, BEDROCK AND/OR SOLID GRANITE IS ENCOUNTERED BEFORE WE REACH WATER-TABLE DEPTH.
THE DIFFICULTY OF A DRILL SITE DRASTICALLY INFLUENCES THE COST OF A WELL:
- SUBSTRATES THAT ARE TOO LOOSE, FALL IN ON THEMSELVES IMMEDIATELY.
- GRANITE & BEDROCK ENCOUNTERED CLOSE TO THE SURFACE DESTROYS DRILL BITS.
- NIGER HAS BEEN POLITICALLY UNSTABLE SINCE 1958, WHEN THE FRENCH LEFT POWER.
MANY WARLORDS & RELIGIOUS RADICALS ARE MAKING RURAL AREAS VERY UNSAFE. - DIFFICULT PEOPLE REQUIRE US TO HIRE ARMED GUARDS IN UNSAFE REGIONS, RAISING COSTS.
- EQUIPMENT FAILURE/BREAKDOWNS.
- HEAT, EXHAUSTION, & INJURY, BECAUSE DRILLING WELLS IS A DIRTY JOB.
- IRONICALLY, IT TAKES WATER TO DRILL FOR WATER, SO IF THERE IS NO LOCAL WATER TIME IS WASTED.
ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY, THE DRILLING TEAM WAS AT A LOSS FOR NECESSARY WATER TO BORE THE HOLE TO FRESH, CLEAN GROUNDWATER. THANKFULLY, A GROUP OF YOUNG GIRLS WERE WALKING HOME FROM THEIR USUAL WATERING HOLE AND THEY OFFERED TO POUR A FEW GALLONS OF THEIR DRINKING WATER INTO THE DRILLING TEAM'S 5 GALLON BUCKET.
THAT NASTY, MILKY-YELLOW WATER IS WHY WE ARE LOVING/SERVING THE PEOPLE OF NIGER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
4. DESIGN:
WELLS 4 WELLNESS IS PASSIONATE ABOUT MEETING THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, BY DESIGNING & IMPLEMENTING THE FOLLOWING WATER WELL SYSTEMS IN VILLAGES ACROSS NIGER.
THE BASIC
- BOREHOLE
- PVC CASING
-CONCRETE
- MANUAL PUMP
- MASONRY WALL & TROUGH
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
NO LONGER WALKING MILES FOR WATER, THE WOMEN STARTED MISSING THEIR CONVERSATIONS. SO, NOW WE BUILD HIGHER WALLS AROUND THE PUMPS, LIKE THE ONE ABOVE.
THE WOMEN OF THE VILLAGES LOVE THE MASONRY "CONVERSATION" WALLS BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM A PLACE TO SIT AND CHAT WHILE THEY ARE PUMPING WATER.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
CHALET
- BOREHOLE
- PVC CASING
-CONCRETE
- SOLAR ELECTRIC PUMP
- SOLAR PANELS (ROOF)
- WATER TOWER
- WATER TANK
- PLUMBING PARTS
- CATTLE TROUGH
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
THESE WATER TOWERS ARE LIKE BEACONS OF HEALTH & LIFE IN THE DESERT. THERE IS A BUZZ IN AIR WHEN THE VILLAGERS GATHER ROUND.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE BASIC
APPROXIMATE COST:
$4,680 - $6,240
CHALET
APPROXIMATE COST:
$7,950 - $21,995


