Self-supporting community- based mitigation program that provides arsenic safe water using modified dugwells along with public education on water related health effects.
Narrative
This dugwell # PW109SU20 is located in the Bishnupur village at the Sutia Panchayet in Gaighata. Mr, Bistu Das donated the site for the community.
- Impact Assessment (M&E) Phase Project completed on 31 Dec, 2009 Implementation Phase
- Implementation Phase Project started on 1 Jan, 2009 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.
Narrative
This dugwell # PW109SU20 is located in the Bishnupur village at the Sutia Panchayet in Gaighata. Mr, Bistu Das donated the site for the community.
Sustainability
Creating and measuring long-term impact
The users would require to purchase theoline, the disinfectant, and also repair minor wear and tear. The dugwells will be visited by the field workers every month for one year to get technical and utility reports followed by inspection once or twice a year.
Other Issues
Unusual and unexpected issues faced during project execution
Research and Development is part of the project. The Arsenic level is 7 PPB (BIS stnd is 50PPB)and the date of report October 22, 2009. Bacteria test is pending for water could not be collected on the 26th. Chlorination is done once a week.
Learnings
Knowledge of project and process for sharing
People are still not using the dugwell water. Next step would be to test the water for bacteria and meet with the potential users and ask them why did they ask for the dugwell if they do not want to use. It is matter of discussion, know their problems and sort them out.
Impact
People Getting Other Benefits: 50
Public health education on arsenic health effects and personal hygiene is given to all the dugwell beneficiaries. 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. There are five field workers working on the dugwell program who are selected from the arsenic afflicted villages. They are involved in site selection, village meetings during site selection, followed by construction of the wells and also follow up the on the technical faults of the dugwells and the number of users. The villagers are also shown VCDs on how to improve personal health and hygiene through proper practices. The office of Aqua Welfare Society is located in the village. The awareness programmer and experts of geology and technical knowhow are based in Kolkata who visit the village office and sites occasionally to create awareness amongst the user group, prospective users and students of schools. Trades like well-digging, pottery, and masonry, are required for the dugwell program and are benefiting from work generated by the project.
Maintenance/Operating Costs Annual, in US$: $40
Creating and measuring long-term impact
The users would require to purchase theoline, the disinfectant, and also repair minor wear and tear. The dugwells will be visited by the field workers every month for one year to get technical and utility reports followed by inspection once or twice a year.
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
- funded:
- $1,050
- Final Cost:
- $1,050
- $1,000:
- Blue Planet Network