Drilling Boreholes Essay

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Nushrika Islam May 16, 2013 Drilling of Boreholes Drilling of boreholes and installing of hand pumps with diesel engine are considered as an improved source of water supply in the rural areas of the developing countries since 1960's. Despite the fact that they helped to a larger extent in solving the problem of water supply however, they are accompanied by technical and environmental problems. Technically they were accompanied by lack of trained personnel in the rural areas, problems or operation and maintenance as well as lack of spare parts. However, there are extensive areas in Africa, the driers parts of South America, the Indian subcontinent and many island in the sub tropics where groundwater can be found but the recharge rate of wells is inadequate to meet demands. In such situations people are supplementing groundwater with a surfaces water source which is seen as the only possible solution for shortage of water. If the communities are far from streams, rivers, or lakes, rainfall collections is the only option available. In rural areas usually people use more than one source of water supply. But they usually prefer to draw water from water yards (borehole with pump). In case this source has a problem they turn to the more traditional sources of water supply like shallow hand-dug wells. However, in the rural areas worldwide only 3% of population in provided with house connection, 3% are provided with public stand pipe, 32% borehole/hand pumps, 10% are provided with protected dug wells and 5 with rain collection techniques. Question Pumping groundwater from deep boreholes (water yards) has some advantages and disadvantages. Explain. Advantages Mechanical revolution in the 1960s enabled machines to pump thousands of gallons everyday. Helps settle people around these water points (boreholes). Settlement has increased agriculture production and
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