Safe Drinking Water West Bengal, India

In West Bengal near the border with Bangladesh, a quiet killer threatens people of all ages. No, it’s not tigers, it is arsenic. Thousands are being slowly poisoned from arsenic-contaminated drinking water in India and Bangladesh. The tube wells, which once saved their lives by preventing gastrointestinal diseases, are now killing them. Exposure to arsenic in drinking water has been established to cause cancer of the lung, kidney, liver, skin, and bladder. Those who are exposed to arsenic in utero and early childhood may develop diseases such as acute myocardial infarction, childhood liver cancer, and bronchiectasis, a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Getting people to use the dugwells can be problematic as the shallower wells have to be treated, usually, with chlorine, the water in the deep tube wells comes out clean and ready to drink with no aftertaste. Unfortunately, arsenic has no flavor and is slow-acting, so it takes significant education to get people to use the new wells.

From Project Well: “Our water sources—based on traditional dugwell designs that are familiar to villagers—are inexpensive and easy to maintain. We make these water sources sustainable by developing community-based programs so users take responsibility for their own wells. Together with our local partner Aqua Welfare Society, Project Well continually monitors our water projects so if problems arise, we can address them immediately and make sure villagers can continue to use the wells. We provide long-term guidance and assistance to users, unlike many other water projects that are installed and left unsupported. Project Well also educates communities on proper sanitation and personal hygiene practices, as well as the effects of drinking arsenic- or bacteria-contaminated water.”

Getting a bath in arsenic laden water. (Copy)

Arsenic is a silent, tasteless, and slow killer. People who have been using a well for generations find it hard to change. (Copy)

The first step is to convene a meeting with local villagers. (Copy)

The next step is to get permission of government officials who seem reluctant to help. (Copy)

Through persistence, eventual work can begin. (Copy)

Scientist Suprio Das has for to the dig site to offer assistance to the crew and make sure they hit the sweet spot between surface water and arsenic laden ground water. (Copy)

Bore holes are dug with a blade, turned by man power and aided by flowing water. (Copy)

The water pumped down the bore hole is recycled via a pump that suck the water back up from a reservoir also dug by hand. (Copy)

Bamboo scaffolding must be monitored and held together by hand. (Copy)

Eventually the hole is deep enough that the filtered pump mechanism can be placed. (Copy)

Another manual and precarious endeavor. (Copy)

The locals watch the action, and also seem concerned with the worker's safety. (Copy)

Everything has been patched and repaired. (Copy)

Necessary breaks are a good time to bond. (Copy)

A fine mesh is wrapped around the pump mechanism to minimize the infiltration of debris in to the well. (Copy)

With the pump in place and only the pipe protruding from the ground, the rest of the well has to be dug out by hand.. (Copy)

Once the hole is large enough, concrete cylinders are handed down to a worker in the hole. (Copy)

The worker places and seals each new section. (Copy)

Eventually the construction phase is done and all that is left is the pump head. (Copy)

Only fancy bricks are used to construct the housing. (Copy)

Once complete Project Well teaches the community how to use and maintain the well to keep the water safe. (Copy)

Schools are an emphasis for the organization. (Copy)

Once in place the kids do what kids do. The water is available for the school and the local community. (Copy)