This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Christin Spoolstra. The project was to build a new well with a pump, and install a piping system and 3 water filters throughout the facility.
To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.
Christin reports:
The project is now completed and has greatly benefitted the over 21,000 people in the 21 villages that the health center officially services.
With generous help from the Water Charity WHOLE WORLD Water Program – Cambodia, Kandieng Reay Health Center in Svay Rieng Province was able to build a well, construct a water tank, and install water filters. This project resulted in water to re-open 3 bathrooms and 1 shower as well as to provide water to pipe into the operation room and overnight patient/staff room. The funding also provided three water filters for clean drinking water for use by the patients and staff.
The Health Center Director and one of the midwives bought the tank and necessary materials from Svay Rieng Town (14 km from the village) and hired a drilling team from just outside of the provincial town. The team spent half a day drilling, going down a bit more than 40 meters until the water came out clean and without residue.
After they hit clean water, the drilling team inserted the pipe and constructed the cement area around it. They then built the platform, installed the tank, and connected the two pumps, one of which is powered by hand and the other motorized.
This new well can be pumped directly into a bucket by the hand pump or pumped with the motorized pump into the new 2,000-liter water tank, which takes less than one hour to fill.
The health center staff and the hired mechanic also buried PVC piping to bring running water to selected locations around the health center. To keep up with water needs, the water tank needs to be refilled about once every 10 days.
One unexpected challenge came with the buried PCV pipes. They originally laid the pipes too shallow and when the rains softened the land, the weight of the water buffalos which graze in the area broke the pipes. The health center staff then used their own personal funds to buy 20 new pipes and bury them deeper than before.
The Water Charity WHOLE WORLD Water Program – Cambodia funds also went to purchase 3 water filters. One of the health center’s midwives reports that people have been happy to use these filters instead of having to purchase bottled water across from the health center.
The health center is committed to operating, maintaining, and repairing the water system. They have spare piping on hand to repair breaks if necessary. They have started a fund to pay the well professionals for servicing and repairs as required.
Community members who have visited the health center since the completion of the project have had extremely positive reactions and are happy about the cleaner, better environment. In particular, the maternity patients who stay somewhat longer term and need to cook at the health center are happy that there is now a cleaner water source and that they no longer need to cook with water taken from the bathroom.
We are grateful to Christin for completing this project, and again extend our thanks to WHOLE WORLD Water for providing the funding.
