Clean Water Well Project

It costs $350 per well, including the cost of local builders.

We are working with local partners to improve access to clean water. Without access to clean water, the villagers, mostly women and children would have to walk 3 kilometers to collect dirty water from stagnant pools or contaminated streams resulting in many health problems such as diarrhea and other diseases, some which can be lethal.

Every year hundreds of Cambodians die, mainly children under the age of five years old, due to diseases caused from drinking unsafe water from the local canals and rivers.

The total population of the area is approximately 1 million. Women and children make up 60% of that population. Among this number are 10,337 (1.3%) which are people with disabilities and 449,620 (45%) which are people who are living in deep poverty in the rural areas of Siem Reap province.  

In order to respond to the needs of the local people, we have promised a commitment to alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas of Cambodia by providing clean water wells. Everything changes when clean water becomes available with both sickness and disease dramatically reducing.

At this present time, we have provided over 400 wells in 28 villages (4,240 families) with safe and clean drinking water. CBAVC and their sponsors have helped a total of approximately 17,550 people in Chikreng district of Siem Reap province. There is a need for at least another 1,000 wells in these rural areas to help families, local businesses, and the general well-being of anyone in the vicinity.

We build two types of water wells in Cambodia:

There are two main varieties of water wells in which we can construct depending on the type and quality of water available in the areas.

a. Hand Pump Well

A hand pump is placed at the top of the pipe allowing water to be pumped to the surface of the well. A machine drills a pipe to reach the aquifer– usually 30- 40 meters down. A cement apron is placed around the well. Tube wells are used when good quality water can be found in a deeper aquifer.

b. Open Hand Well

The villagers help CBAVC staff to dig a hole about 8-10 meters deep. Cement rings are then used to keep the well open and rise over 1 meter above ground. Tops are placed over the well to prevent pollution. Each well will supply water at least for five to ten families which is on average 45 people.

Here is a Video of San Van, the Founder of CBAVC, a Monk and all round top bloke, explaining a bit more about what they do.

Each well is tested for Arsenic to ensure water quality

We provide testing for the quality of water before and after building the well. We build wells in rural Cambodia at a rate from 6-10 wells monthly, whilst monitoring the well construction to ensure the contractor has provided a quality well. The villagers are educated about well maintenance and ensuring that sanitary requirements are met at all times.

How long does it take to build a well?

• It takes 7 days to dig a well and pour the concrete. Here is our local builders and volunteers build each well.
  

• Each well has a signboard of the sponsor name or someone they wish to sponsor the well too. We send a picture of the well, signboard, family or families it will supply water to, and construction workers who built the well to the sponsor.

Goal of clean water project

The main goal is to ensure that villagers in the rural area of Siem Reap province have an adequate supply of fresh, safe and clean drinking water. We make it our mission to ensure all water is free from arsenic and provide necessary training educating the public on the importance of how essential clean water is for the well-being of the rural population.

Water well maintenance

The world is littered with broken water wells. We have a comprehensive program which involves carefully selecting recipient families, compiling a family profile and identifying each well in implementing scheduled maintenance program. We inspect water wells regularly and replace and fix worn and broken parts. We even repair broken wells that have been abandoned by other NGOs.

Please note: Transportation can be arranged through either one of our tours or separately so you can meet the family you helped and see the well in action which is a fantastic opportunity! CBAVC is happy to organize this for you by Minivan, or Taxi car. It will take around one hour by car from Siem Reap to CBAVC areas at the countryside to visit the wells.