Mzuzu drill. A very simple drill technology for tube wells to 20 meter deep
The Mzuzu drill method combines augering, percussion and bailing. It can drill tube wells with diameters of 2 to 6 inch and to depths of 20 meters. Some 300 wells have been drilled with this option and cost of a well combined with an EMAS pump or Rope pump model 4 is 100 to 300 US$
The Mzuzu drill is based on the conventional augering system but has several innovations like the use of a step auger so using the human weight if the soils is hard. Also it has a stone punch in case there are boulders of 3 to 8 cm in the first 6 meters. It has a short and light bailer combined with a tube instead of a rope. This bailer is to remove sand, loam gravel from inside the casing. The technology is so simple that people can drill a well themselves after a training of 1 to 2 days. No drilling mud or filter screen is needed.
This technologis is fit for approaches like "well clubs". So a group of 10 families who all want a well are trained by a skilled driller for the first 2 wells. The remaing 8 wells are drilled by the families themselves so reducing the cost. In this way the cost of a well can be in range of 50 to 200 US$ depending on depth and casing diameter. Combined with an EMAS pump the cost of a complete well of 10 to 20 m deep can be 100 to 300 US$
The drill set is produced with local materials and a drill set for 20 m deep cost around 300 US$
More information www.smartcentregroup.com
