Self-supporting community- based mitigation program that provides arsenic safe water using modified dugwells along with public education on water related health effects.
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Meera Hira-Smith of Project WellImplementation Status: completed Thu 12 Aug 2010, Over 14 Years ago
Monthly Status report of July 2010
Though the depth of this dugwell is 20 ft it gets dry in the summer months because of its location on the higher side of the area. Due to decrease in the rainfall in monsoon dugwells located in such areas are used only during the rainy season. In some areas people are abandoning the dugwells. The closure survey has been done and it has been decided that the dugwells will not be filled with dirt for it may be used in the long run.
- Impact Assessment (M&E) Phase Project completed on 31 Dec, 2008 Implementation Phase
- Implementation Phase Project started on 1 Jan, 2008 Preparation Phase
Self-supporting community- based mitigation program that provides arsenic safe water using modified dugwells along with public education on water related health effects.
Other Issues
Unusual and unexpected issues faced during project execution
Research and Development is part of the project. Research and Development is part of the project. The arsenic level was 30 PPB tested on 30th June 2008. The Total coliform and Fecal coliform are 92 and 38 respectively. Date of water collection for bacteria tests was on 6th December 2008
Learnings
Knowledge of project and process for sharing
The water has high organic odor that can be removed by Earthen filters. Locally available cheap organic filters to be distributed in the areas where the water has organic odor. The mawtka filter should be distributed at subsidized rate to a few users to observe its efficacy.
Impact
People Getting Other Benefits: 50
Health meeting and villages meetings have been organized in this community-based-group. The discussions were on arsenic health effects and personal hygiene. A training program on the maintenance of the dugwells (including chlorination) is given to develop a sense of ownership and to make the program sustainable. Photos will be uploaded shortly.
Maintenance/Operating Costs Annual, in US$: $40
Creating and measuring long-term impact
Implementer: Aqua Welfare Society, West Bengal, India
Aqua Welfare Society, AWS, is the partner NGO. Their office is based in the North 24 Parganas. The 8 honorary board members are located in Kolkata. There are only 5 field workers who are interacting with the villagers and beneficiaries, training the users on maintenance of the dugwells, organizing village meetings and health meetings. A technical advisor of AWS is based in Kolkata who visits the village occasionally and one awareness programmer who is in charge of awareness programs in the communities and educational institutions. There is an accountant and also a data entry person on part time basis.
Funding
- Final Cost:
- $909