PAL involvement in Drinking Water Projects

PAL involvement in Drinking Water Projects

Clean and sufficient drinking water still is in short supply for the majority of the rural and urban population. As a consequence many Cluster Community Development Councils (CCDC) proposed the direct cooperation of donors including PAL in the conduct of drinking water projects, mainly drilled wells and pipe schemes.

►      One of PALs implementation strategy is the identification and implementation of community/village development activities with special focus on alternative income earning enterprises and associated infrastructure. For the latter PAL is conducting infrastructure projects as part of its ‘value chain approach’, such as roads, bridges, buildings, intakes, culverts and Micro Hydro Power.

►      The PAL responded to the CCDC proposal and considered a number of the drinking water proposals in close coordination with the Provincial Rural Rehabilitation and Development Directorates (PRRDs).  In particular:

Based on a request by the Nurgal District Governor, PAL supported the construction of one drilled well fitted with an AFREDIVE hand pump in the Nurgal District centre of Kunar province. As a result drinking water is now provided to district administrative staff. Incidentally, all visitors coming for their official business will benefit of this improvement.

A CCDC proposal for the construction of eight drilled wells was tendered through the PAL. The proposal came about by village mobilization in the Durbakhel village of Khewa district, Nangarhar province. The village mobilization is part of the PALs capacity building approach which is carried out by the PRRD Social Organizers. This proposed site was first studied by engineers from the PAL by the elaboration of a feasibility study.

In the following eight wells were constructed. In addition the households of Durbakhel and the surrounding villages obtained education in hygiene. The construction started on 15^th October 2007 and was accomplished by the end of November 2007. This project will provide drinking water facilities to the entire population of the following villages:

Durbakhill, Miagan, Shikhan, Kochian and Dand with a total of 160 - 200 households.  

The constructed drilled wells by PAL are in line with the recommendations by MRRD set down in the ‘Well Construction Manual’. They are drilled by percussion drilling rigs, and fixed by PVC well casing and then fitted with Afridive-hand pumps. PAL also trains the beneficiaries on the maintenance of the hand pump including most common repairs. Following will be the elaboration of a community based maintenance system.

The PAL received another proposal from the CCDC of Masoud village, Nurgal District for the construction of a drinking water supply pipe scheme project.

The village of Masoud is located in the mountain area where it is impossible to drill a well; therefore the pipe scheme construction would be the only solution to provide safe drinking water to the mentioned village.

The principle of the pipe scheme construction is as follows:

Water from a river will get pumped into a filtering chamber first and stored in a 50 m³ (50,000 litre) water reservoir.

Then the water will reach, by gravitational flow, the individual water tap of the beneficiaries.

A so called “valve man” will be trained for the maintenance of the system on a community based support and responsible to release the water based on an agreed time table (specific hours during the day).

The pipe scheme was designed by the PAL and will be implemented by one of the PAL implementing partners. This project will provide drinking water to 423 families in the Masoud village. 

The supply system will be fed by a local MHP station (Micro Hydro Power) which was already constructed by the community itself.

The CCDC of Lamatak village, Khewa district, Nangarhar province proposed the construction of 13 drilled wells in the four villages of Lamatik, Akhundzadgan, Labtari, and Shamsherger. The construction of the 13 wells will commence in February 2008.

Still there are more infrastructure projects to be conducted and the PAL will continue its support to the CCDC proposed projects.

DISCLAIMER

This article has been produced with the assistance of the European Union and the GTZ IS. The content of this article is the sole responsibility of the author and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the GTZ IS.

The Project for Alternative Livelihoods in Eastern Afghanistan (PAL) is located at Jalalabad and funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by GTZ IS.