During their visit to Uganda in the summer of 2010 Krista and Robert have made an extensive survey in the area of Banda Kyandaaza. This survey was necessary to get further information about the plan that was drawn up by the Banda community to install tap off points along the village road. The inhabitants of the many houses have to walk hundreds of metres, sometimes six times a day, to a well or river to fill their empty, yellow jerry cans with 20 litres.

These spots are often situated low in the valley or in distant places. For the women and children who usually fetch the water it is dangerous to go there on their own.

The community drew up a well-worked out and detailed plan. In the included budget an amount of € 20,000 was mentioned. Such a big plan is too complex for Weebale. We contacted water experts for advice. We talked to them and they asked questions like:

“Have you thought about the pressure in the pipes? Is this the only and right solution for the village? Can you tell where the water comes from and for what purposes it is used?”

Finally it was advised to further research the location in Banda. The survey was carried out in July and August 2010 for this reason.

Under the guidance of two local Weebale people, Roger and Noël, natural sources, rivers, water pumps and wells were sought. We talked to the people who make use of these water provisions. They told us where they fetched the water and what it was used for etc.

The results of the survey have been worked out in a map of the area and the advice of the water experts is as follows: in the original plan a big, heavy pump would be installed to pump the water a kilometre up the hills. There the water would be stored in a big tank. The pressure created thus makes the water flow to five tap off points along the road in Banda.

The survey indicates that it is more efficient to work with two smaller, cheaper pumps.

Moreover it is probably better and cheaper to construct only three tap off points along the road. The plan, as adapted in the Netherlands, has been sent to Uganda and the people there are going to react soon.