Vijselaar.pdf (290.14 kB)
Download fileOperation and maintenance of handpumps in Afghanistan
conference contribution
posted on 12.02.2018, 15:09 authored by Leendert VijselaarOne problem in water programs is the operation and maintenance by communities. DACAAR has pioneered in Afghanistan
a system where the community is responsible for their wells but pays a mechanic (selected by the communities and
trained by DACAAR). A contract binds each community to the mechanics and he gets paid in kind by each community. The
mechanic serves around 100 pump sites. The community pay for the sparesand a spare parts shop is organised. HITeams
(Handpump Inspection Team) have been created, each covers 2,000 wells, and they visit all wells twice a year. The HITeam
solves problems but does not repair the pumps. The HITeam reports on the wells and the data are entered in to a database
and in this manner DACAAR know the percentage of wells functional and keep the down-time low, not more than 15%.
The mechanic has proven to be self sustaining. The HITeams will have to be taken over by the government.
History
School
- Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering
Research Unit
- Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC)