Technical Info
All wells constructed are drilled by manual labor. This provides employment for a minimum of three workers for each well drilled. We currently use two freelance contractors who drill and manage a small team. Mr Youm has been drilling wells for over 20 years. Mr Samnang has been drilling over five years. We are fortunate that his uncle is the Director at the Department of Rural Development for Siem Reap Provence who has also taken water samples to test to ensure the water is safe for human consumption.
We are asked why these wells have been built specifically for families rather than as a communal well. Usually, a communal well is constructed as an open water well. These wells are pretty shallow in comparison to the mechanical pump water wells. They also generally cost more to dig and build. Villagers aren’t generally too fond of them for a number of reasons:
- Disabled and elderly villagers find them harder to use as it requires more manpower/strength
- It can be dangerous and fatal for little children
- The water isn't always clear or are murky due to the soil and shallowness
- Even after boiling the water, it still isn’t consumable because it crystallizes.
