Increasing the uptake of techniques which improve success and sustainability of wells and boreholes: inception report

This report marks the end of the short inception phase of the DFID KaR project (R8162) increasing the uptake of techniques which increase the success and sustainability of wells and boreholes. The project has been designed to contribute to two of DFID’s themes for the water sector: Improved water and sanitation (W4) through increased uptake of research (X3). Much of the inception phase has comprised consultation through building an email network, organising an inception workshop and establishing a website. An email network has been established for the project comprising over 200 water professionals and scientists with an interest in rural water supplies. They come from 29 different countries with 18% from government, 23% from NGOs, 20% from the private sector, 31% researchers and the rest from donors and UN agencies. Approximately 35% of the network (73 people) have contributed to the project either through email or attending one of the workshops. Two workshops were held at the WaterAid offices in London in December 2002. Twenty-eight people attended the workshops and discussed the contents and potential users of a groundwater development manual. During the inception phase of the project, several key decisions have been made. 1. The completion date of the project has been changed from March to September 2004, to account for the 5-month delay in the project start date (subject to final approval from DFID). This will allow for the project activities the time originally envisaged in the project proposal. 2. A list of contents has been developed for the manual. This was developed from initial comments from the network and the workshops and then subsequently reviewed. 3. The target users are the implementers of rural water supply projects throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The focus of the manual is to provide practical information for project engineers in NGOs and local government, public sector hydrogeologists, drilling teams and private sector groundwater companies. However, in response to feedback during consultation, one chapter will discuss project management issues. 4. The geographical focus of the manual is sub-Saharan Africa with application to parts of south Asia. 5. Additional collaborators to WaterAid have been found for the project: UNICEF (and state government) in Nigeria and DWAF in South Africa. Both collaborators will help to field test the manual. 6. Feedback has indicated a strong demand for guidance on water quality, as well as quantity. This will be a challenging task and project staffing may have to be changed slightly to ensure sufficient experience is available within the project team. 7. ITDG have agreed to publish, market and distribute the manual, first as a black and white illustrated book, but also seeking electronic means in the future. For the target users the practicality, portability, and robustness of a book outway the benefits of cost and adaptability that solely electronic publication affords. 8. Evolution of the manual beyond the present project could be coordinated through the DFID resource centre OASIS. Feedback could be channelled from the authors to OASIS to be incorporated into any further editions.