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 On the

        Ground

 on the

        ground

• Amazi Well Points: 868

Live Interactive well map

“It takes more than a hole in the ground
to provide clean water for an entire community.”
Caelene Peake – Founder

Operations

Site Assessment

We begin by assessing current water sources; gaining approval from the authorities and building partnerships.

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GIS Mapping

Our Geographic Information Systems team is responsible for creating sophisticated maps which show demographics, topography and groundwater potential.

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Hydrogeological Surveys

Our hydrogeologists, using information from our GIS team and various technical means, assess the groundwater potential at each site.

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Drilling

Amazi Water Drill Teams and contracted drilling companies are directed to the exact location and drill to an average depth of 65 meters.

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Engineering

The Amazi Water engineers design the water system, including the type of pump needed, tank stand, solar panel or electrical system, piping and tap stands.

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Water Quality Testing

Our water quality experts test the water according to multiple parameters, for drinking safety.

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Hygiene Training

Highly trained staff conduct in-depth training workshops with key leaders and the community, on hygiene, sanitation, correct use of the pump, cleanliness of water well area and so on.

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Maintenance

Amazi Water provides ongoing maintenance as well as training to specific members of the community to keep wells working.

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Ops Support

Human Resources

As of August, 2022, Amazi Water has 200 employees and is growing! Our HR team does an amazing job tending to ongoing staff needs.

Finance

The Finance team works across the oceans between Burundi and the USA to make sure that funds are moving smoothly and transparently.

Procurement & Logistics

Almost all of the materials needed for the water systems have to be imported, cleared and moved around the country. This teams handles this monumental task amazingly well.

Warehouse Team

An impressive team. An impressive warehouse. The organizing, storage & movement of well supplies is no easy feat.

Marketing

Our marketing team ensures that the Wonderful Work of Amazi Water is communicated creatively and effectively, from story telling, to photos to videos, this team works non-stop.

Communications

Communications with NGO partners, government partners, donors and more, this team find themselves in multiple departments across the organization.

Drilling rigs, Vehicles, Drivers

The management and maintenance of all of the heavy machinery and vehicles at Amazi Water is a full time job for a large team.

Security

Security of staff, community members, assets; there are multiple facets to this job.

Amazi Water works hard to keep our wells in working order with a remarkable average of 95% uptimes.

Site Assessment

 

Amazi Water Partnership Promoters work with the community to assess water sources that are currently being used by the community; commonly a river or fresh water spring. River water is totally unsafe for drinking. Springs are clean and safe but dry up during the 4 month dry season.

They also assess the number of households, hospitals, clinics, schools, and churches in the area; as well as population distribution. The well must be placed so as to serve the largest number of people possible.

During this early phase, Amazi Water connects with local government leaders to gain approval for the drilling operation and to negotiate the use of private land. Most landowners are happy to have a borehole on their property as it serves their whole community.

Once the site is selected and the exact drilling location is identified, the community is asked to help create an access road through their village for the heavy machinery. It becomes an exciting team effort, and there is often much singing as the road is made.

GIS Mapping

 

Our GIS or Geographical Information System allows us to capture, store, manage and manipulate geographical information. The GIS unit provides mapping and spatial analysis services to the survey, drilling and engineering teams.

Spatial analysis is a process in which you model problems geographically, derive results through processing, and then explore and examine those results. For instance, how many wells are required to provide all Burundians with fresh water within a limited walking distance?

We are using GIS to ask and answer spatial questions fundamental to our water services goals at Amazi Water.

Hydrogeological Surveys

 

Burundi is situated on the steep side of the Great Rift Valley, a chain of mountains and high plateaus. The geology of Burundi is complex and finding suitable locations is challenging. We start in the office by studying geological maps, population distribution, landscape, and accessibility for drill rigs; using data generated by the GIS team.

The field team then conducts vertical electrical sounding resistivity tests to locate aquifers. It is virtually impossible to know 100% if there is water deep below the earth’s surface, but we want the highest possible chance of finding an aquifer.

Fortunately, the water quality in Burundi is generally good, in line with World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

Drilling

 

The drilling team arrives on-site, sets up the rig and compressor, constructs a security perimeter and starts to drill. Once the borehole is successfully drilled a casing is inserted and a pump test is done. Pump testing reveals the depth and yield, which determines the type of pump to be installed.

Once installed, the cement casting around the pump is completed and the well is chlorinated to remove impurities.

The water table in Burundi is abundant. Our average boreholes are drilled to a depth of 65m. The maximum depth is 120m, and most shallow is 25m.

The average water yield is 3 to 5 metric cubes per hour, enough for 150 to 250 people which equates to water for over 2, 000 people every day.

Amazi Water’s Drilling Rigs

  • 2 x PAT-Drill 301T rigs. A light, compact rig ideal for rural water supply.
  • 1 x PAT-Drill 421. A heavy-duty trailer mounted rig.
  • 2 x PAT-Drill 501 truck-mounted rigs

We use Atlas Copco Air Compressors XAHS186 Nd 2 V900.

Engineering

 

Amazi Water constructs the most appropriate water system for each village.
Solar and electric pumps – with piping, taps, and reservoir tanks – are preferred as they are usually more effective than the traditional hand pumps which are commonly used in East Africa.

The size of the solar stand and number of solar panels, as well as the tank size, varies in accordance with the water yield and the community need.

Upgrades

We upgrade systems where conditions allow. The upgrade may involve switching a basic hand pump to a solar or electric system; or installing a water tank or reservoir, pipes, or taps. An upgraded system can serve more people and requires less maintenance.

Water Quality Testing

 

Before the community begins using the borehole, we test water quality using Wagtech AquaSafe Water Safety Laboratory kits. These portable kits test for physical, chemical, and microbiological contaminants.

In general, the tests reveal that the water is safe to drink. If the water is unsafe, we will take measures to filter the water if possible.

Hygiene Training

 

Once the well is ready for use the community is trained in life transforming hygiene practices. This includes correct pumping, cleaning jerry cans, building hand-washing stations (the ‘tippy-tap’), preventing bacterial transmission and covering food. The community is also taught how to best care for their well, handle water run-off and prevent stagnant water build-up.

The training takes place under the trees with a large crowd, using creative posters in Kirundi, painted by a local Burundian artist. Community members are invited to ask questions, brainstorm in small groups, and watch demonstrations.

Amazi Water partners with NGOs who address the other components of the WASH process, like building latrines. Collaboration with the community, government, and other organizations is key to the success of both the well and our mission.

Maintenance

 

Did you know it’s estimated that up to 60% of donated water wells sit broken?

Source: https://theconversation.com/africas-aquifers-arent-being-protected-as-they-should-49075

We are proud to report average uptimes of 95%. Our maintenance team works hard to repair broken pumps as quickly as possible.

Call the Amazi Water repair hotline on phone number 412 (in Burundi).

If used correctly, a properly constructed well can last 25-35 years. As the number of wells constructed keeps increasing, it is vital that we train local people to repair and maintain their own wells.