The impact of manual drilling for the construction of sustainable water-points in Chad : case study

In the master plan of water supply and sanitation (2002) it was recognized that costly, mechanised drilling alone will not satisfy the water demand in all areas of the country. A decision was made, to actively promote manually drilled boreholes in those areas where such technology was appropriate to increase the coverage of improved drinking water supply in Chad. This promotional work has, with the support of UNICEF, been implemented through the Ministry of Fishing, Pastoral and Rural Hydraulics. A key part of this strategy has
included development of the capacity of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) to carry out such work and has further included a mechanism to monitor the quality of the works. This case study shows that effective use of manual drilling in Chad can be highly significant in helping to attain the Millennium Development Goals in the water sector. [authors abstract]