Asia

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Burma - China - India - Indonesia - Sri Lanka - Tajikistan - Thailand
 

Burma
(see "Thailand" for related article) (top)

 

China
 Map of Southern China for instruction in hand water well drilling  Rice field irrigation in Southern China  Woman carrying water in buckets in Southern China  Fishing the water ways of Southern China  Appropriate technology water wheel in Southern China  Buying PVC for tube water well pump construction in Southern China
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In July, 2004, Hydromissions founders, Steve and Jennifer Lorch were given the great opportunity to return to China after an initial trip in 2001.  They met with local believers and trained them in the concepts and use of hand drilling systems and water ministry.  An EXP-50 demo unit was left behind for additional training purposes and replication by locals.  Several sites were identified for future water projects to be conducted by the local church as a way to reach more rural Chinese communities.

HydroLog:  07/17/04 - 07/30/04.  Location:  N 26˚ 26.560’, E 119˚ 16.451’, Elevation:  298 ft.  Pump demonstration given on banks of river.  This was a remote mountainous region, very rocky, and generally not suitable for drilling except near the river valley.  Location:  N 26˚ 04.905’, E 119˚ 16.211’, Elevation:  317 ft.  Drill demonstration and basic training in water technology given inside a city environment.  (top)

 

India
 Map of India for instruction in hand water well drilling  hand water well drilling in India  hand water well drilling in India  hand water well drilling in India    hand water well drilling in India  hand water well drilling and water pump in India
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In March, 2009, Hydromissions founders, Steve and Jennifer Lorch flew to the town of Tuni in the State of Andra Pradesh to work with CCIMA Mission.  Together, a well was put into a coastal area using a local sand drilling technique.  This well gave local Christians the open door to construct a church gathering place which had formerly been denied (for several years) by the village leaders.  This "foot in the door" is a great move forward in sharing the gospel with an unreached area, and it is the hope of CCIMA to continue this type of outreach to many more villages annually.

HydroLog:  03/12/09 - 03/20/09.  Location:  N 17˚ 17.155’, E 082˚ 34.861’, Elevation:  75 meters.  Sandy topsoil from the start.  Water hit at 7ft, which caved in rapidly.  Augering abandoned for "surge sand" technique down to 30 ft.  Well cased to 22ft (after more collapse).  Fresh water column of 15.5ft with top suction (pitcher) pump and cement pad installed. 

Since our first well in India in March, 2009, this work has continued as an ongoing outreach under the careful supervision of pastor Penke Varaprasadarao.  The following are reports from this outreach in order of completion:

1. Pastor Stephen raja, Sittyagari tota, Pithapuram, E.G.DT.  Here the bore well was fixed on 14th July, 2009 in church compound for the slum people. Who are coming to church compound for drinking water. The bore well is being benefited for 500 people. So far no bore well in this area. This is the first bore well in this area for drinking water.

 2. Kola Krishna, Chitrada, pithapuram mandalam, E.G.DT.  Here the bore well was fixed in church compound on 17th July, 2009. This village called chitrada.There is dhal it colony beside the church compound. The dhal it people are struggled for water. Present this bore well was more useful for dhalit people.

3. R. sat yam, Timmapuram village, Tuni madalam, E.G.DT.  Here the bore well was fixed in church compound on 22nd July, 2009. This village is situated near hills. Here people are depending on daily wages in working cashew nut factories. Here people are being affected by different diseases due to polluted drinking water, so far no bore well in this area. This bore well being useful for this village people.

 4. Lovaraju, Ulesawaram, Parthipadu madlam.  Here the bore well was fixed on 19th July, 2009 in one of the believer’s house. Here the believer donated piece of land for bore well for people of this village. Here children are being affected by the polluted water. The bore well is being benefited for this village people.

5. P.suresh babu, Dhalit colony, velampeta, E. G.D.T.  This bore well was fixed on 24th July 2009 in church compound which is in Dhalit colony. Here people are troubled lot, because there is no bore well in Dhalit colony. This bore well is being useful to the Dhalit people. Present the Dhalit people are coming to church compound for drinking water.

6. Pitla Apparao, Paleteeru, payakaraopeta mandamlam, Visakha district.  This bore well was fixed 29th july2009 in land of Apparao who donated piece of land for bore well to the public use. This bore well was fixed in the B.C colony where no bore well in the area. This people are going 3 kilometers for cannel water. This bore well is purely drinking water by the grace of God.. This people depend on daily wages. This people joy is no bounds for this bore well. This bore well was inaugurated on august 2009

 7. Dara satiibabu, Ankam peta. Visakha patnam district.  This bore well was fixed on 27th July in land of Tammarao who donated land for public people. Here no bore well in this Ankam peta village. People are going for drinking water to cannel. Here people are being affected by diseases by cannel water. 

8. The 8th bore well was fixed on 5th august in villages of Sriramapuram in Dhalit colony where no borewell so far. Here untouchable is there. People are not allowed to go water. so they use to go for drinking water for 2 kilometers. Present this bore well is being useful for Dhalit colony. This bore well was fixed in church compound which is in Dhalit colony.  You visited and tried to dig well in that church compound and there was much rocky in that area. I hoped you remembered place.  This bore well was inaugurated on 8th august.

9. The village of Chinna- rambadrapuram is situated near the national highway.. In the entrance of this village the Dhalit people houses are there. This dalit people have to go for water, to the high caste people who are not allowing this Dhalit people. In this Dhalit area the there is well which was constructed with stones many years ago .This well was damaged completely. This people use to go for water to the national highway at least they have to go for 3 kilometeres.  We received request from Dhalit people for bore well.  We enquired and fixed in bore well on 13th August, 2009 in Dhalit area of this village. The people are so happy of this well.  One way there is way for gospel work by this bore well.  We inaugurated this bore well on 16th August, 2009.

10. This bore well is fixed on 18th August,2009 in church compound in Namavaram (Dhalit colony) where no bore well. This Dhalit people use to go for water near canal. They suffered lot for drinking water. Even government also neglected this people. This local pastor requested bore well so we enquired and fixed bore well in this Dhalit colony. This Dhalit people have much happy of this bore well.

11. 2009-11-09 pastor emmanuel, K.E chinnnayapalem Kotanandoor Mandalam E,G.DT.  Location details:  K.E chinnayapalem village situated among the hills and belongs to konanadoor mandalam. Mainly this bore well was fixed in colony of schedule caste (sc, low caste people) this people are being treated as untouchable people in community.  This bore well is being benefited to 400 people of low caste people.  Bore well details: depth of bore well  is  115 ft,  GPS details;  N 17* 27.405,  E 082* 25.617 elevation  191 ft

12. 2009-11-29 pastor A.CH spurgeronraju, N.S venkatapuram (via), N. suravaram post, Tuni- madalam.  Number of people benefited; 350,  Depth of bore well; 105ft. Land details; rocky area which is among the hills.
GPS details; ELEV; 98 ft N 17* 24.551. E 082* 30.667.  This bore well was fixed among the low caste people where church compound in which bore well fixed. This village people of low caste are happy of this bore well.  This bore well water is pure drinking water.  The low caste people are happy to use this bore well.

 13. 2009-11-29 pastor sugunakar, kolimearu(village), N. suravaram, Tuni- mandalam. Depth of bore well; 110 ft. Land details; rocky area which is among the hills. Number of people benefited; 300. GPS details; ELE; 119 ft N 17* 25.630* E 082* 29. 638. This bore well was fixed in church compound which is in low caste people. This people suffered lot due to lack of drinking water. People are happy of this bore well for drinking water.
The low caste people are happy to take the drinking water from church compound.

14. 2009-12-21 D. Ermiyya, S.c colony, Koda village, Tondgi mandalam, Depth 105ft, Soil: mud only. Land details: plain. GPS details: Ele: 4FT N 17*13.015* E 082*25.362*  This bore well fixed in church compound which is Shedule colony in k. koda villages. In this village this low caste colony separated to koda village.  Here no bore well for drinking water.  This people use to drink canal water which is purely populated water. This low caste people use to effected often different disease due to this canal water. The fixed bore well is being used to low caste people in this village.

15. 2009-12-28 P. parasuramudu, A.V nagaram village, Tondagi Mandalam, E.G.DT. Depth bore well 110ft. Land details; plain , soil; mud. GPS Details; Ele 14FT N 17*11.498* E 082*23.907*  This bore well fixed in B.C colony in A.V . nagaram village. In this B..C colony no bore well so far. in this colony many are under poverty . so here the B.C people being benefited by this bore well. 250 people being benefited by this bore well.

 16. 2009-12-28 Ch. Bhaskarao, A.K mallavaram, Gollaprolu Mandalam, E.G.DT. Depth of bore well: 120 feet, soil: plain area. GPS details: ELE 41 FT N17*10.130 E 082* 21.687*.  This bore well fixed in church compound near low caste people. This is the first bore well in this village. Here people use to drink canal water which affected to get many diseases. This is the bore well is being used  250 people of low caste.

17. 2009-12-28 Ch. Solomon raju, Ravikampadu, Tondagi mandalam, E.G.DT. Depth bore well: 165 FT, soil: rocky area. GPS details: ELE 58 FT N17*13.634 E 082* 22.622*  This bore well is fixed in church compound which is in B.C colony this people are under the poverty. There is no bore well for drinking water in this colony. Here people are going 2 kilometer for drinking water. Here high caste people are not allowing B.C people for drinking water. Present this bore well being useful for 350.

18. 2010-01-13 Nakka apparao, A.P mallavaram, Gollaprolu (mandalam), E.G.DT. Benefited people; 200. Land details; plain area, mud only. Depth bore well; 115 ft. GPS details; Ele; 243ft N 17*10.262* E 082*22.149.  This bore well fixed in B.C colony these people use work in canals and digging workers. They use to work on daily wages. In this village there is no bore well so far. It is first bore well for drinking water. Here land lords are not allowing BC people for drinking water. The BC people use to drink in canal water. Many people are being affected many diseases.  One of the Christian give donated the pieces of land for this bore well.  After fixing the bore well, The BC people are so happy of this people.

19. 2010-01-13 T. daiva balam, P.E chinnayapalem, Thondagi Mandalam, E,G,DT. Depth of bore well; 138 feet. Land details; rocky area. Soil; stones. GPS details; Ele; 105 ft N 17*14.838 E 082* 23. 572. Benefited people; 300. This bore well is fixed in church compound which is in Schedule cast (low caste).. Here people are suffered lot for lack of drinking water. The low caste people are living around the church compound. Here people are so happy of this bore well.

20.  2010-01-17 G. david raju, P.lakshmipuram, Payaraopeta(Mandalm), Viskha district. Benefited people; 200. Depth bore well; feet 135. Soil of area; rocky. GPS details; ELE 76 ft N 17*22. 583* E 082* 34. 599.  This bore well is fixed in church compound which is in schedule caste (low caste).  Here people are troubled lot for drinking water. For this people use the bore well is fixed in church compound.  This bore well is being useful to this low caste people. This people are so happy of this bore well.

 (top)

 

Indonesia
Map of Indonesia for training how to make biosand water filters and soap  Training how to make biosand water filters in rural Indonesia  Simple biosand water filter in rural Indonesia  Rice paddy irrigation systems in rural Indonesia  World missions - Teaching how to make soap in an Indonesian Muslim village
Gps satellite map for hand water well drilling, soap making and biosand filtration, Indonesia  Gps satellite map for hand water well drilling, soap making and biosand filtration, Indonesia
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In December, 2007, Hydromissions founders, Steve and Jennifer Lorch traveled to the island of Sulawesi to work with New Tribes Mission (NTM).  They met with local believers and trained them in water filtration methods and soap making.  This outreach spanned 3 distinct locations, over 5 sessions, and involved about 25 local and foreign missionaries.  An EXP-50 demo unit was left behind for additional training purposes and replication by locals, and we believe that unit to be headed to Papua.  One of the encouraging aspects were the simple biosand bucket filters that were already in use among the rural people (see pictures above).  We were also able to brainstorm ideas with locals for developing a bamboo/cotton/charcoal filter process.  A technological highlight for us was our introduction to the "tea test".  Some types of unpotable water turn black when a tea back is placed in contact with it.  We are attempting to investigate exactly what type of reaction is occurring so we can use this in other areas.

HydroLog:  11/29/07 - 12/13/07.  Location:  S 01˚ 01.625’, E 120˚ 26.474’, Elevation:  63 ft.  Water filtration and soap making demonstration given to roughly 20 local villagers.  This was a remote coastal region, with very shallow (6ft) water table and extremely turbid/dirty wells.  (top)

 

Sri Lanka
 Sri Lanka map for assessment of post tsunami disaster relief efforts  Sri Lanka coastal fishing after post tsunami disaster relief efforts  Water tank storage and clean drinking water distribution in Sri Lanka  Water well drilling site and hand pump, Sri Lanka  Hand water well drilling with post-tsunami disaster relief workers in Sri Lanka

Topographical map of disaster relief efforts in post-tsunami Sri Lanka  Topographical map of hand water well drilling in post-tsunami Sri Lanka  Topographical map of disaster relief efforts in post-tsunami Sri Lanka  Topographical map of hand water well drilling in post-tsunami Sri Lanka
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In December, 2005 - the one year anniversary of the tsunami - Hydromissions was invited to work with the ADF (Asian Disaster Foundation) to assess pre and post-tsunami water conditions.  The tidal waves hit the southern coast, causing much devastation, but also contaminating many wells with debris and salt water.  Based in Hikkaduwa, most of our work was conducted just east of Galle.  There is plenty of water in this area, but most villagers have shallow,  open cement wells that are very prone to contamination.  The other alternative is to collect water from the sporadically serviced community tanks (see picture below), which are definitely no guarantee of cleanliness.  God accomplished many things on this trip including installation of a well, training locals and foreign aid workers on simple drilling techniques, configuring a hand pump made entirely of local materials (this pump is expected be used along the entire tsunami stricken coast at a total cost of only $35 per well, start to finish).  There is still much work to be done, and the ADF plans to continue working their way along the south eastern coast.

 HydroLog:  12/14/05 - 12/25/05.  Location:  44N 0419740, UTM 0663404.  (6d 04' 00" N latitude / 80d 16' 29"  E longitude).  Elevation: 27 meters.   Village of Talpai, Pananduwa (slightly east of Galle).  Well is located in middle of bath house compound.  Former drinking water well (open cistern) located on other side of large hill.  Substrate consisted mostly of thick red clay.  No rock encountered although large boulders are found in this region.  Water struck at 12 feet, with drilling continuing through red clay to 20 feet, at which time the soil changed to a whitish, loamy material.  Drilling continued to 22.5 feet.  The well was cased with 3.5 inch pvc down to 22.5 feet, with a 3 foot screen.  No loss of depth or cave in was encountered.  Cased well showed a standing water column of 16 feet that could not be pumped dry by hand.  A concrete pad was poured, complete with drain pipe.  This is considered a "deep" well for this area (most are hand dug to 12 feet).  (top)

 

Tajikistan
       Map of Tajikistan for water well drilling by hand  drilling water wells by hand in Tajikistan  water well drilling in Tajikistan, Central Asia
(click to enlarge)
 

In April/May, 2010, Hydromissions had the pleasure of working with Global Partners in this Central Asian country to train them in the concepts and use of hand drilling systems and water outreach.  An EXP-50 unit was left behind for additional training purposes and replication by locals.  Together, we were able to construct an in-country, deep well pump for less than $200 - this pump will be able to be replicated throughout the region.  Several sites were identified for future water projects to be conducted as a way to reach more rural Tajik communities.

HydroLog:  04/28/10 - 05/06/10.  Location:  N 26˚ 26.560’, E 119˚ 16.451’, Elevation:  298 ft.  Back yard drilling demo.  Compacted sand/clay/powdery soil completely down to 55ft.  What locals call their 'bedrock' - a cement-like, 5 inch layer - encountered at 55ft.  Local made percussion tool used with limited but hopeful success.  Drilling postponed for locals to continue later.  (top)

 

Thailand
water well drilling, Thailand, Burma drilling water wells by hand, Thailand, Burma water well drilling, Thailand, Burma drilling water wells by hand, Thailand, Burma water well drilling, Thailand, Burma drilling water wells by hand, Thailand, Burma
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February, 2008 (by Lon & Cheryl House):  We went to Thailand with LoveinActionAsia to provide clean water to Karen refugee camps, particularly those in Burma (also called Myanmar).   The Karen have been involved in the longest running civil war in modern history, over 60 years with the Burmese military.  There is a Karen refugee camp on the Thai/Burma border call Ea Tu Hta that has over 4,000 Karen people displaced by the Burmese Army.  Their only source of water is a jungle stream.  One out of four children do not live to age two due to diarrhea-type diseases.

The border with Burma was closed; due to the release of the new Rambo movie, the February 14th assassination in Thailand of a Karen leader, and a firefight on the Salween river between Burmese Army and Karen fighters with several casualties.  So we went to a Karen refugee camp on the Thai side (Ma La Mu) and contacted several Karen rangers to demonstrate the well drilling technology and well installation.  We decide to install a well outside of Ban Mae Sariang on a dry plot of land that they could use for a vegetable garden.  GPS coordinates of well are approximately N18.10'34", E97.56'30". 

This was a novel experience for these people.  There is so much surface water in the jungle that wells are virtually unknown, and there was initially a bit of skepticism about digging a hole and pumping water out of the ground by hand.

The auger drilling system worked well, especially once we got through the hard clay on the surface.  We hit water at about 9 feet deep. This was slow perking, so we continued to drill to about 20 feet in order to have enough of a reservoir.  We cased the well with 4" PVC pipe, installed 2" well input pipe with a foot (check) valve at the bottom, disinfected (using local bleach) and sealed the well, and installed the hand pump.

The Karen rangers instantly saw the utility of  clean water from a well instead of surface water, and the ability to locate homes and villages somewhere else than beside a stream (which makes it easy for the Burmese Army to find their villages).  Several of the Karen rangers stated that they wanted a well at their homes!

About on week after we returned, we received an email from one of the Karen ranger leaders, stating that they had drilled another well at Maetob village and it worked, providing clean water.  He was eager to take the drilling technology and pumps back into Burma as soon as the border opened up.  His last statement to me  - "You know I don't want to loose my drilling sets as it is very valuable for the health." (top)

drilling water wells by hand in Thailand  drilling water wells by hand in Thailand  drilling water wells by hand in Thailand

Oct/Nov. 2008 - A group from Mountain Christian Church in Maryland traveled to Thailand to work on a multifaceted project (above photos).  Here is what one of their team, Jim Boyle, had to say about the project:

Hi Hydromissions.  While this mail is late, I wanted to share with you our experiences with well digging in Thailand.  I participated in a Short Term Mission to Mae Sot and Noun Boa Thailand in November 2008.  We were a group from Mountain Christian Church in Maryland.  This was the first time Mountain Christian had attempted well digging.  I was fortunate enough to lead the well digging effort and it was a Spirit filling experience.  We attempted and were sucessful in digging two wells.  The first well was at Huay Ka Loke Orphanage in Mae Sot.  The orphanage had two open wells and these were used to supply water for bathing but relied on delivered outside water for drinking.  At Huay Ka Loke the orphanage's teenage boys helped dig.  The system worked well and we hit water very quickly.  Everything was going great until the boy's dropped Auger bit into the well.  With a bit of improvisation, we made a grappling hook and were able to fish the auger out of the well.   We hit gravel/rock about 21feet which we could not really loosen or break through with the cracking bit.  It was pretty satisfying to see that first water pulled from the new well.   We challenged the boys to a contest on how fast they could draw the water from the well and the boy’s could not empty it.  We constructed a Slow Sand Water filtration unit and also taught solar disinfection (SODIS) to disinfect the water.  The orphanage should be able to reduce their need to pay for and import bottled water.  Our second well was at a bible school in Noun Boa - a small Thai village immediately on the Myranamar border.  We had the help of local adults.  At about 27 feet the clay turned to wet mud.  We had only sand and water at about 30 feet.  We managed to dig to about 33 feet before the sand was collapsing and we could not get deeper.  In both cases we used Bailer Bucket kits.  However at both sites the plastic caps broke a short time after some use.  I believe the buckets were being dropped into the wells and smacking the water after falling 15 - 25 feet and cracking.  Our focus was to train the local pastors on how to use the equipment.  We donated the equipment and the well digging has become a self-sustaining local ministry.  The local pastors are able to provide for the physical thirst/health and spiritual thirst.  I simply want to say thank you. Sharing Christ, Jim Boyle."  (top)