The Ubombo Family Wells Programme was initiated in 1997 to investigate and demonstrate appropriate water supply options for the communities resident on the coastal plains of northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. These communities are characterised by very flat, sandy terrain, a relatively shallow water table, and highly dispersed population patterns. Work was initiated in July 2003 to develop a locally manufatured version of the rope and washer pump, and trial units were monitored in the field. Based on those trials, a further 100 wells were constructed and fitted with rope and washer pumps. This paper was presented at the International Water Association Water and Wastewater Management for Developing Countries (WAMDEC) conference in 2004.
The Ubombo Family Wells Programme (UFWP) has been responsible for the construction of 500 shallow family wells in the Maputaland area of northern KwaZulu-Natal. The first wells were built in 1998, and these have been in continuous use since then. The UFWP is a response to the problem of how to develop water supplies in an area which is so remote and where the populations is so dispersed that conventional piped water supply systems cannot economically be constructed or sustained. It was inspired by the very successful Zimbabwean family wells programme, which began in 1986 and has since seen over 45 000 existing family wells upgraded at very low cost.
This paper was presented at the WISA Biennial Conference in Durban, May 2002.
This poster presents the highlights and photos of the Ubombo Family Wells Program carried out in Northern KwaZulu-Natal beginning in 1997. More information can be found in the related documents.