Survey and Borehole Construction
On 4th January 2022 the Go 2 School Initiative Uganda team travelled with Elite Borehole Services to Gulu to conduct a survey of the land stipulated for borehole construction. A meeting was held with the community representatives, led by the chairman LC1, the village chief and Mr. Otim’s family(Donor of the land on which the borehole is to be constructed) to ensure that the project is embraced by the community. The chairman LC1 explained that the best place would be next to the road for easy access. Together with the community leaders, the most appropriate place to set up the borehole was identified.
On 13th January 2022, we officiated the start of the project. On 14th January, 2022, the team from Elite Boring Services together with the community started clearing the area for construction and hand drilling the borehole water tank. In the first phase, the contractors hired manual labor from the community to assist in drilling and preparing food as well. They were able to drill up to 6 (six) feet.
Clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education are basic necessities for a healthy environment and a productive life and well life being
By Sunday, 16th January 2022, they had reached 19 (nineteen) feet altogether. On Monday, 17th January 2022, they drilled more 4 (four) feet and totalled up to 25 (twenty five) feet. At exactly 1:00pm, the water level was reached. Both teams waited for 2hours to decide whether to continue drilling or start construction. Two and half hours later, the water level was 1 (one) feet and the contractors decided to go on drilling for more 10 (ten) feet.
On 17th January 2022, the contractors had reached the aquifer at 25(twenty five) feet. By 25th January, 2022; the team had drilled five (5) more feet. And since the water levels were very high and the underground soil was unstable for the man power to drill more, work was halted until recommendations from the hydro geologist. The hydro geologist advised drilling of the borehole to a maximum depth of 10(ten)-20(twenty) meters below ground level in order to yield approximately 0.4 to 11.00 cubes per hour refill which is 3150(three thousand one hundred fifty) litres per hour in the well. She also recommended that should sufficient yield be obtained before attainment of the required depth, drilling should stop. Elite Boring Services collected samples from different boreholes to determine the speed of water and to determine the safety of continuous drilling past a 30(thirty) feet.
On the 25th January 2022, Elite Boring Services team had hand drilled a 30 (thirty) feet deep and 6(six) feet wide borehole.
On Thursday 3rd February, 2022; construction was done. Final fitting and sealing begun. Later in the afternoon on Thursday, a pumping demonstration was done to gauge the water volume and the duration to fill a 10(ten) litre jerry can. At the first trial, the borehole took 15(fifteen) seconds before producing water. This was because the borehole pipes were adjusting to the process. On second trial, it took 8(eight) seconds to produce water.