Lack of clean drinking water is a major problem in developing countries. Water-borne diseases are rampant in economically depressed rural areas because clean running water (typically provided by the municipalities) is simply not available. The only alternative is to install hand pumps or deep wells (drilled wells) to draw clean water from the ground depending on the depth of the water table. The depth of the potable water table varies from 20 to 3000 feet (~ 6 to 910 meters) depending on the region and local topography. Hand pumps are normally installed for obtaining water at the maximum depth of 130 feet (~ 40 meters).  Over 130 feet deep wells (drilled wells) are installed with pumps which can reach 3,000 feet (910 m) or more.

Water Hand Pump

Until recent centuries, all artificial wells were pump-less dug wells which were excavated with diameters large enough to accommodate men with shovels digging down to below the water table. Such wells were at times lined with stones or bricks; extending this lining into a wall around the well to reduce both contamination and injuries by falling into the well.  Modern dug wells are hand pumped. 

While the cost of drilling is directly proportional to the depth of the water table, the average cost of installing a hand pump, along with maintenance of the hand pump for 5 years is approximately $200.

Delivery with Water Tanker

Many cities with dense populations lack adequate fresh water because municipalities which should be supplying them are failing due to decaying infrastructure and rising population.  For such instances, Hidaya has started delivering water to the masses via a water tanker which is filled with fresh water from our own wells.  If not for this service, the people would literally be fighting with each other over scarce water sources.  Hidaya fills 1,200 gallon tankers from our wells 3 times a day and delivers them to the people of the city.  It costs just $15 to fill and deliver water for each round from a water tanker.

Deep Well (Drilled Wells)

Deep wells (drilled wells) can get water from a much deeper level by mechanical drilling.  Drilled wells with electric pumps are currently used throughout the world, typically in rural or sparsely populated areas.  Most shallow well drilling machines are mounted on large trucks or trailers. Such wells typically range from 20 to 600 feet (6 to 180 meters), but in some areas can go deeper than 3,000 feet (910 meter). Deep wells over 600 feet (180 meters) with purification plant costs $30,000 and up.  Currently, Hidaya is working to provide a deep well in the Shahdad Kot district in Pakistan. For more information on the Qambar-Shahdad Kot Water Project, click here.