Engineers Without Borders Indianapolis Professional Chapter
Sustainable Safe Water Supply Project
Mayanja-Kibuke, Kenya
- Engineers Without Borders - Indianapolis Professionals are currently in the process of raising money and planning our second trip to the outskirts of Bungoma, Kenya. The goal of the project is to establish a sustainable clean water supply for the village of Mayanja-Kibuke to the west of Bungoma. A project assessment trip was completed in January 2011 with members of EWB-Indianapolis Professional Chapter and EWB-Chicago Professional Chapter.
Bungoma is located in the high plains of Kenya, approximately 200 miles northwest of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. It is at an elevation of 4,650 feet above sea level.
The objectives of the initial site assessment trip in January 2011 were:
- Determine community needs for clean water supply and priority projects
- Understand existing water supply sources and quality of water
- Determine potential and feasibility of sustainable clean water sources and how those sources be devloped by meeting on-site with well drilling companies
- Begin establishing a community owned water supply that will be locally constructed and maintained, by meeting with community leaders and women groups
- Establish on-the-ground relationship with other NGO's such as Aqua-Clara and Heifer International
- Establish on-the-ground relationship with Moi University to provide testing of water supplies and local engineering assistance
Included in the project would be the drilling, casing of the wells, provision of equipment necessary to bring the water to the surface, testing the water quality, and training community members to maintain the system. Water treatment options will be reviewed and possibly added to the project, if needed.
After a successful project assessment trip in January 2011 and additional planning by the Indianapolis and Chicago Professional Chapters, a project implementation trip is being planned for January 2012.
The EWB Approach
- Project must have be sustainable solution
- Project needs to use local labor and materials
- Project needs to become a community asset
- Long-term project commitment (5 yrs.)
- Project cycle:
- Assessment
- Implementation
- Post implementation assessment
- New project assessment
Prior Efforts
In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s there were 1000 wells with electric or hand pumps drilled in western Kenya. Most of these are no longer functioning due to vandalism, pump thefts, lack of funds and lack of knowledge.
There is a water kiosk located 50 km from Mayanja that was constructed to sell water pumped from a dam in a river; there has never been any water sold from the kiosk. The project was funded by Constituency Development Fund, a funding from the central government controlled mainly by a Member of Parliament. The reasons for the collapse of this project are not clear.
Current Water Supplies
Water is obtained by locals from spring boxes (many damaged); unprotected springs; shallow wells that have limited supply during dry seasons; unprotected unlined hand-dug wells; roof run-off.
There are currently 55 water supplies serving 20,000 people. Only 7 of the 55 are protected and safe and there is no local ownership.
Typical Site for New Spring Box
Project Plan
Establish local water committees for each sub-location (approx. 5,000 people) to construct and maintain safe water supplies. Each water committee will identify 5 individuals to be trained in the construction of hand-dug wells and spring boxes. EWB will provide the training.
EWB-Indianapolis Professional Chapter travelled to the project location in January 2011 for the initial project assessment. The group will be returning in January 2012 to implement the project plan. Trip members will be providing training for water committee members in the rehabilitation and construction of spring boxes using locally made bricks. Existing spring boxes will be reconstructed and pipes repaired.
Spring Box Repair
Implementation Trip Purpose
- Educate water committee members in the repair, maintenance and construction of spring boxes
- Work with local volunteers to repair one spring box and construct one new spring box
- Inspect sites for future spring box repair or construction
- Understand current practices of purifying drinking water
- Update the Memorandum of Understanding to begin the process of financial self-sufficiency
Project Sustainability
Each 5-member water committee for each of 4 sub-locations will serve 5,000 people and 10 or more water supplies.
- Water committees will be educated in the repair, maintenance and construction of spring boxes
- Spring boxes will be constructed of locally made bricks using local labor and locally obtained equipment
- Water committees will be empowered to charge and collect water user fees
