According to UNICEF's State of the World's Children 2005, 21% of children in developing countries are severely water deprived, living without a safe water source within a fifteen minute walk of their homes. In addition, a staggering 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation. These deprivations cost many their lives and account for at least 1.6 out of 11 million preventable child deaths every year." (Source: UNICEF Press Centre, www.unicef.org )

The supply of sustainable, safe and clean drinking water for deprived communities in Africa has remained the focus of Joint Aid Management Drilling. Water related diseases claim the lives of 1 child every 8 seconds. JAM Drilling continues to fight this through our water provision programs in South Africa, Southern Sudan and Mozambique. With our four large drilling rigs, JAM drilled 922 water wells in these countries by December 2005. Not only has JAM provided clean and safe water, but women in the communities surrounding the wells have been afforded additional protection as the incidents of rape have dramatically decreased, due to shortened walking distances to the water supply.

Joint Aid Management's drilling efforts started in 2001 with a small Technodrill with which nine boreholes were drilled. Today JAM is drilling boreholes throughout South Africa with three fully equipped Schramm drilling rigs. The Technodrill is still operational and is used in Sudan where it continues to supply clean, safe water sources to people to whom clean water is a luxury. JAM drilling has developed into a professional drilling operator and applies the stringent and internationally renowned standards of the South African Department of Water Affairs.

Joint Aid Management recently acquired a Rockdrill 1000 drilling rig for drilling operations in Ethiopia. These programs are aimed at rural disadvantaged communities with the goal of alleviating poverty through the provision of water. In order to accomplish this goal, JAM will partner with World Vision Ethiopia and provide training, technical assistance and logistical support to ensure the success of these water drilling programs.

How do we drill a water well?

The area for drilling is selected by the geophysicist, followed by siting the exact location of where to drill.

Drilling diameters range from 6.5 - 10 inches,depending on the rock formation and the yield of the water-bearing strata (i.e. the water strike).

A sanitary seal is inserted to prevent contamination and the hole capped until it is test pumped and the geochemical analysis of the water is done.

Once the water has been tested, a pump is installed according to the strength of the water yield. The low yielding boreholes are usually equipped with either a hand pump or a roundabout play pump. Higher yielding boreholes are equipped with motorised equipment to facilitate reticulation systems that pump water into reservoirs, then pipe the water to various collection points within the communities.

Where do we drill?

The main focus of JAM drilling is to supply potable water to desperate
communities. JAM tries to drill close to community centers such as schools or clinics. Drilling locations are at times difficult to reach, but the JAM team is dedicated to provide clean water as close to the community centers as possible. This helps women and children to collect water in safety.

In South Africa, JAM has already provided successful boreholes in the KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape Provinces. In Mozambique water operations have been focused on Gaza Province and in Sudan in Pibor County.

JAM water drilling in the future

Operations are currently being established in Ethiopia. Possible new countries for water programs include Zimbabwe, Benin and Malawi. The costs to maintain drilling rigs and to drill in these countries, are very high. JAM drilling is continually looking for new partners, opportunities and target areas in order to assist in saving and changing the lives of thousands of African people, through the provision of safe, clean water.