Access to Clean Water
Goals
To make available unused labour hours from the unemployed individuals who are willing to join the Mutual Aid Group that focuses on water wells drilling and rainwater harvesting with a view to making clean water available for residential, commercial, and agricultural use and improving health and comfort.
Overview
- This Mutual Aid Group consists of water well drillers who will primarily work with partnering organizations in drilling new water wells in the Communal Section. They will also increase the number of active wells by providing proper maintenance to new and existing wells. Several organizations have contributed over the years to bring wells, and hand pumps to communities in Haiti. Many of these wells and hand pumps stopped functioning due to a lack of maintenance. The Mutual Aid Group members will receive training from partnering organizations on maintaining these wells and hands pumps.
- They work in selected areas as instructed by partnering organizations or the mutual aid group facilitator; these areas may include community and private farms, public schools, parks, green spaces, etc. They also work in private houses to build rainwater harvesting systems. They can be assigned to work with any organization operating in the communal section (e.g., agricultural extension agents, field coordinators, the National Equipment Centre, non-governmental, private and public organizations, regional, departmental and communal offices, etc.). They use their tools, and their transportation means. They receive a monthly participation incentive from Reciprocitas and weekly training from their assigned organization. A Mutual Aid Group Facilitator supervises them. The Mutual Aid Group facilitators receive appropriate training to conduct groups and keep records. They are not subject-matter experts.
- A Communal Section may have more than one Mutual Aid Group focusing on water wells drilling and rainwater harvesting. In return, the users of the wells obtain suitable seeds, tools, and other items necessary to create plant nurseries and provide plants to be used by the mutual aid group with a focus on tree planting. They also join Farmers Field Schools when these are available in the communal section.
Job Description
- They review client requirements and proposed locations for water wells.
- They operate water well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore, and dig water wells for residential, commercial, and agricultural use or environmental assessment.
- They install well screens, casings, and other wells fixtures.
- They document geological formations encountered
- They clean and disinfect wells in preparation for use.
- They perform routine mechanical maintenance work on water well drilling rigs and equipment.
- They install, test, maintain, and repair water well pumps, piping systems, and equipment and perform pumping tests to assess wells' performance.
- They build family and community water tanks and rehabilitate water points.
- They build rainwater harvesting systems to supply house and landscape needs.
They ensure that the well water is of good quality and meets drinking water standards
They teach families and the community at large how to treat water to ensure it is safe to drink.