Clean Water | Drilled Wells

Drilled wells are likely the most discussed & common type of well when it comes to clean water initiatives & conversations.

You will find either a wheel or a lever handle to operate the pump on a drilled well. These wells can be anywhere from 75-300 feet deep. The installation involves a truck or trailer with the drill on it, a lot of piping, plus the pump itself. 

It’s pretty easy to do this type of installation around the world because of the ability to find aquifers at various depths beyond what a person would be able to reach safely with a shovel (for a hand dug well). Drilled wells will also provide water year round in some of the drier regions. 

While it stills requires work to get water to the surface, drilled wells provide a much more consistent source for a community. These are also fairly simple to fix with few moving parts which could break. 

I’ve been able to document the installation of these systems in Burkina Faso a couple different times over the years. In Burkina Faso, it costs approximately $7,000 to install a well in this way. 

It’s crazy to think that even in 2020 so many people globally still do not have access to clean water. To find out more about clean water initiatives I’ve partnered with in the past, check out engageburkina.com!