One of the most common questions we get is how are the wells drilled?

In the majority of the areas we serve in Nepal and India, wells are drilled in a unique way. Most developed places in the world rely on heavy duty well drilling equipment. In many of the remote areas we serve, there is no equipment available to help with the drilling process. So you may ask, how is this done without machinery? 

First, a site survey is taken. It is very important to select an area for drilling that is known to have a good water table and limited rocks to break through. 

Next, the drilling crew will use a wet drilling process. A hole is dug and water placed in it to wet the soil. Then a hollow pipe is used with a drill bit with holes at the end is pounded repeatedly into the ground by between 2-4 well drillers, who have to do all of this work manually. As the pipe goes deeper, the soil moves up through the hollow pipe to the surface with the assistance of the water. 

As the drillers go deeper, more pipe is added. Since the pipes are metal, each section adds more and more weight that the drillers have to move up and down to continue to get deeper. In order to make this easier on the well drillers, they will build structures to help bear some of the weight and increase leverage of the drill. Over and over, they will move the pipe up and down, up and down, up and down. 

Eventually, they will reach the clean water source. This can be anywhere from 60-250+ feet below the surface. At this point, they will remove the drilling equipment. A pipe with a filter on the end of it will be installed. Then, a concrete slab is installed to keep any contaminants from getting into the pipe and well. 

A hand pump is then installed on the surface. Many places in the countries we serve do not have reliable electricity, and the hand pump is usable with or without power. Each time the pump is drawn, pressure throughout the pipe draws water to the surface. Now clean water is accessible for the community! 

For all of us at Quenched, this process is just the beginning. It may be hard to visualize what the completed well and transformation provided looks like practically. To help you understand the physical and spiritual impact of our work, we have a free resource just for you. We have a completed project report that will show you an actual family or community who went through this process, and allow you to see the impact the well had on their lives.

This is the same report we send to donors who sponsor a well. 

To receive your free well report, please fill out the contact us section below and you will receive it within 24 hours.

Experience the journey of transformation through a well report.

To help you better understand the change each well brings, download a sample well report. This report includes the well’s location, a story from the community it serves, and an account of how access to clean water has impacted their lives. It’s the same report our partners receive when they sponsor a well, showing exactly how your support eternally makes a difference.