C02balance has a proactive approach to maintenance of its borehole projects in which maintenance work is done on an annual basis. This is usually followed by reactive repairs during the year to ensure that the boreholes are in constant use for the 7 years of the project. It also ensures that the communities have a constant flow of clean safe water and do not have to boil their water hence reducing carbon emissions from burning of wood fuel.
With the help of our Project Officer, Isaac Okaka, we have successfully completed this year’s planned annual maintenance for the 41 boreholes in Otuke, Alebtong, Kole and Dokolo in the Northern part of Uganda. Our project Officer who is very knowledgeable about the borehole technology was assisted by the District hand-pump mechanics to complete the maintenance repairs for the boreholes in a period of one month.
This year’s planned annual maintenance covered replacement of worn our parts, renovation of the aprons, greasing of chains, change of lower valves and pump buckets among others.
The maintenance programme was gladly received by the community and some of them even offered to help with the repairs by providing labor like carrying pipes while the mechanics checked the inside pump system, helping to lift up the pump heads among others. This helps to strengthen community engagement and involvement in the projects hence giving them a sense of project ownership.
In addition to this planned maintenance, routine chlorination and water quality testing had also been done to treat and test the water for its physico-chemical and bacteriological status. All the 41 boreholes registered satisfactory results which are in line with the Uganda National Standards maximum acceptance limits, therefore considered safe for human consumption.
