January 11, 2010 - Ddegeya

This morning, Joseph brought us to St. Gertrude's private school. Beyond the school in the dense wood, we encountered a BH, which we think might be BH2. Nearer to the school inside a roofless building was another BH (whose cap was off), and we think that this might be BH3. Helen and Becca should double-check that our designation is correct.

According to Joseph, BH3 was built about 15 years ago, and stopped working around the year 2000. It used to give good and clean water (people used not have to wait), but dried up suddenly. Joseph thinks that it is the fault of the eucalyptus forest---at the time the BH was dug, the trees were still young, but after the trees matured, the BH dried up. The BH used to support the school and about 15 houses. When BH3 became dry, a rich family dug BH2, which was used by the school and about 20 households for maybe 3 years until it dried too. Unlike BH3, BH2 never yielded much water even at the start, and the water was coloured---Joseph thinks that this is due to the tree roots, which might compete for water. Since this BH stopped functioning, the school has increased their rain collection drums to 4 (this supplied enough water for only about 3 months in a year). When this was not enough, the school---as well as the nearby houses---now collect water from Nalongo.

We tried to take the head of BH2 apart, which looked like a Mach 3 pump according to Dave. BH2 had no chain---nothing was attached. The top flange had only 2 bolts. The middle flange had 4 long bolts. When all those were removed, it revealed a plastic sleeve (with blue interior). As we shone flashlight down, we saw some reflection. As Mike dropped a pebble down, we affirmed that there is still water at the bottom of BH2. We then visited BH3 nearer to the school. The top of the BH3 was missing, which made it somewhat of a hazard. Judging by the number of concrete rings, the borehole is at least 20 ft deep. There is no water at the bottom.

According to Joseph, beyond the forest near BH2 is another building near which an open pond can be found. He claimed that this pond is dry. Dave wanted to see this, but at this point we experienced a sudden downpour, so we took shelter in the school. During this time, Kevin asked more questions about the history of these BHs (detailed above), and had Joseph teach him some Luganda. When it became clear that the rain would not subside after about 45 minutes of waiting, we resolved to walk back to the clinic in the rain.

In order to prepare for the workshop tomorrow, we started building our Biosand filter today. The first challenge was to drill a hole on the side of the plastic container near the bottom (for the outlet). Dave brought a drill, but was unable to find the correct drill tip (Goose, the dog at the clinic, might have taken it). The clinic has a drill, but according to Francis, this has not been working. We tried to charge it up anyways. After having blown a fuse, and having waited for several hours, we still saw no signs of life in this drill. Our next plan was to take a sharp knife and cut a roughly circular opening. This proved moderately successful.

The second challenge was to drill some holes in the outlet pipe to be placed inside the container to collect filtered water. We first tried to hammer nail into the pipe's side. Then Mike found a screw and used Dave's drill to drill the screw into the pipe and back out, yielding two moderately successful holes. Then Mike got ambitious and tried to unsuccessfully drill a hole directly using another drill tip. Unfortunately, this tip somehow got stuck inside Dave's drill, rendering it unusable for drilling. We then reverted back to drilling holes with nails and a hammer. This processed was streamlined and in about an hour, we had a collector pipe with about 10 holes drilled into it.

After lunch, we took water samples from BH4 and P1 and did two Petrifilm tests of coliform/E. coli and Enterobacteria on each. We also took some "clean" water that we are drinking and did a Petrifilm test on it. We hope to have some suitable results to show tomorrow at the workshop.

In the afternoon, we found a piece of wood and made a frame for the smallest sieve (for the fine sand). We also drilled more holes to the collector tube, which now really reminds us of some woodwind musical instrument that does not function. At about 3:30 p.m., Joseph showed up, so Kevin left with him to conduct more household interviews, while Mike and Dave were left to figure out how to piece the outlet pipes together with the joints with epoxy and duct tape---hopefully a waterproof design, at least temporarily.

Four households were visited today. For three of them, the interviews were mainly conducted in English. The answer patterns matched up quite well with the translated responses we got from Joseph from earlier households, so it is quite likely that the previous answers were faithful translations and not something Joseph made up for our convenience. This still leaves the truthfulness of some answers in question (for example, if a household is embarrassed about not boiling water, the answer we get might be an affirmative, though we did implement some checks---such as by asking them to estimate the time it takes to boil certain volume of water), but well, I guess there are certain things we just can never find out by asking. Once again, where there are reasons to doubt Joseph's translation, the statement is enclosed by three asterisks ***...***.

Household 12
Mrs. Nakiwala Gerfrude lives on the Masaka-Mbarara Road past the Trading Centre, and has never been approached before for a similar interview. Her household has 9 people, 7 of whom are school children. The family uses about 5 jerry cans of water, collected mainly from P3. The family used to collect water from the nearby BH6, but it stopped functioning last year---there is something wrong with the machines. Someone constructed this BH, and the family paid no fees to use it. Sometimes the family also uses Nalongo---both P1 and BH4. The family prefers the pump, ***which gives clean water***. Nalongo is visited only during the drought season. Children make 1 trip daily to collect water in 5 jerry cans, carried on a bicycle, and it takes about 30 minutes for a return trip.

Of the 5 jerry cans of water, about 2 jerry cans are used in the kitchen. The family drinks about 10 L of water for 2 days. The family boils drinking water using firewood collected from its own forest. Water should be boiled according to doctors from Masaka/Kinoni. It takes about 20 minutes to boil 10 L of water, and the family keeps it boiling for 5 minutes in a saucepan.
The family practises rainwater collection in 2 drums. There is some gutter on the roof, but this does not cover everything. In a heavy rain like today, all the drums are full, and the water is expected to last 4 days (10 jerry cans). When there is new rain, the family sometimes pours away the old water ***because mosquitoes might be breeding inside***. The family boils rainwater. The family thinks that the rainwater is clean---just imagine that it is clean. Even if the clinic sets up a rainwater collection and storage facility, the family would still prefer gathering water from P3, because the clinic is too far.

The family would be interested in the workshop. The evening time is not so busy for the family, and it is the interviewee who will come.

Household 13
Mr. Ddungu Pauline speaks good English. He has been approached once for an interview by the Ugandan government (South County), though no mzungus (foreigners) have approached him for an interview before. There are 12 people in his family. There are 16 children, though some are married, so 8 people are living in the house. Some of these children go to school. The family carries about 6 jerry cans of water per day, using P3. The family does not use BH6 because it has a strange smell probably due to the vegetation---a smell that cannot be described. During the rainy season, this smell worsens. BH6 also does not provide enough water. Children collect water 3 times a day, travelling on foot and carrying 2 jerry cans. The distance to P3 is about 0.25 km, and it takes about 20 minutes per trip. Sometimes the family also collects water from Nalongo---P1, because P3 is not a reliable pond. In fact, P3 is dry for about 2 months every year.

During washing day, the family needs 2 additional jerry cans of water. Otherwise, cooking/kitchen takes up about 5 jerry cans. The family also drinks about 15 L of water per day, tea inclusive. The family boils water using firewood collected from its own forest. It takes about 15 minutes to boil water (for 15 L, this takes much longer---60 minutes). The family keeps the water boiling for 5 minutes---the container depends on what is available.

The family practises rainwater collection. In fact, Kevin saw a huge (about 4 m in diameter and 4 m high) concrete tank with roof gutter. Joseph speculates that the top is covered (to avoid mosquitoes), except for a small hole near the roof gutter outlet. The family informs us that the tank actually does not work well---there is leakage, and about 12 jerry cans of water can be collected when it rains heavily, yielding 3 days of water. The family collects both old and new rains without discarding the old. The family boils rainwater, because of the dust. The family would be interested in using a potential rainwater storage system at the clinic.

The family would also be interested in attending the workshop---after 4 p.m. is ideal, and the attendee can be available for about 2 hours.

Household 14
Mrs. Nalukwaga Betty lives by the Masaka-Mbarara Road beyond the Trading Centre, and speaks proficient English. Her household has 7 people, 5 of whom are school children. The family uses about 3 jerry cans of water for cloth-washing, 2 jerry cans for cooking/washing, and drinks about 3 L daily. Water is collected from P3---the water from BH6 is believed to be spoilt. The family thinks that the BH6 chain is not functioning. BH6 was built in 2003, and stopped working in 2008. No attempts have been made in fixing it. The family is also aware of BH5, which stopped working in 2002. BH5 was broken; a local engineer came but did not fix the problem. The family used to pay 500 shillings/month to use BH5 (for a couple of months before it broke), to Madina (see household 6), who used to maintain it. The family also collects water occasionally from BH4 during drought. However, it might also use water from P1 if there are many people at BH4. The family thinks that BH4 yields purer and safer water than P1, which has algae growing in it. Children carry water twice a day (morning and evening) using 2 jerry cans.

The family boils drinking water using purchased firewood, which costs about 150 shillings a piece. This translates into about 300 shillings a day for cooking and boiling. It takes about 2 hours to boil water in a kettle (I don't know if this is the interviewee misunderstanding the question or if it is a failure of an answer truthfulness check), and heat is turned off instantaneously after boiling point is reached. Boiled water is stored in different jerry cans from those used for water collection.

The family collects rainwater via several jerry cans; there is no roof gutter system. Sometimes rainwater is also stored in saucepans. During heavy rains, about 5 jerry cans of rainwater can be collected, which can provide about 1 day of water. The family boils rainwater---even though rainwater is cleaner than well water, it is still not clean enough. The family would be interested in using the clinic's potential rainwater collection and storage.

The family would be interested in attending the workshop---after 2 p.m. and for a maximum of 2 hours per day.

Household 15
Hope runs a hair salon, and speaks proficient English. Her family of 4 has 2 school children. The family requires about 5 jerry cans per day, and there are 20 L in a jerry can. The family collects water from both P3 and BH6---there is nothing wrong with BH6. The kids are too young to carry water, so they must pay someone to fetch water. The family does not purchase bottled water---this is too expensive.

The family uses about 2 jerry cans per day for washing, and half a jerry can for cooking. About 5 L is drunk daily. Water is boiled using both charcoal and/or firewood, bought, costing about 5000 shillings per month. Water in a saucepan takes about 15 minutes (the family is very unsure) to boil, and is kept boiling for 5 minutes. Boiled water is transferred to a jerry can (Kevin didn't find out if this is same or different from the jerry can used for collection).

Rainwater is collected in a drum, which yields 5 jerry cans. There is roof guttering. During heavy rains, about 10 jerry cans can be collected, yielding sufficient water for a week. The family boils rainwater but thinks that rainwater is cleaner than P3/BH6---"pure white".

The family would be interested in attending the workshops. 3-4 p.m. would be a convenient time, and the interviewee would be available for about 2 hours per day.

In the meanwhile, Dave and Mike finished assembling the outlet tube and epoxy-glued everything in place. The Biosand filter looks ready, except without the sand and the gravel.
Later in the evening, John and Joe came back from Kampala. They were expecting to bring back some medicine from JMS, but having waited for a whole day without having had their order gone through, they returned to Ddegeya. After dinner, we had a chat with John regarding our plans. Over the next few days, he will be very busy with the preparataion of the medical mission, and hence will not be able to really assist us in the workshops. He suggested that we revisit the households again with Joseph to announce the time and location of the workshop. His impression is that the majority of villagers drink water in the form of tea, which means that they would boil their water anyways---even if they had some sort of Biosand filter. People generally do not just drink "unflavoured" water as we might often do. He had thought that the community, Helen, and Becca reached an agreement last time in which we would find ways to protect the water at the source, and at first he was sceptical about the effectiveness of household water treatment. We explained that the household water treatment could be our short-term attempt at solving a problem that requires a much more long-term planning. So the bottom line is: we will not have a lot of John's help probably for the duration of our trip. Most of the translation/community interaction will have to be done with Joseph. We will talk to him tomorrow morning to see when he will be available to walk us around the village again to announce the workshop to a few households. In this light, the workshop will take place at earliest on Wednesday, and we will have it span over fewer days.