Drill Cost Comparisons

Wellspring Africa's Hand Powered Percussion Drill

Cost Comparisons Between Hand Dug and Drilled Wells

In the following examples we are using data collected in Liberia in 1986. The hand dug technique in this example is the simplest design possible. We are assuming a well that is being built in stable soil which does not require a casing for the drilling or scaffolding for the digging. We are also assuming low labor costs, $5-a-day for trained technicians and $2-a-day for general laborers. (The lower wage actually favors the hand dug method since it is more labor intensive.)

We will first list the basic costs for a single well and then list the costs for twelve wells, assuming that the tools will make twelve wells before needing repair or replacement.

BASIC DRILLING/DIGGING TOOLS

Total	$ 210.00	Total	$ 69.00
PERCUSSION DRILL		HAND DUG WELLS

Drill Bit	65.00	Pick	10.00
Bailer	65.00	Shovel	8.00
Pulley	12.00	Pulley	12.00
Rope 100'	35.00	Rope 75'	25.00
Shovel	8.00	Bucket	4.00
Fishing tools	15.00	Misc. fasteners, etc.	10.00
Misc. fasteners, etc.	10.00

LABOR FOR DRILLING/DIGGING 45-FOOT WELL

Total	$ 68.00	Total	$ 90.00
PERCUSSION DRILL		HAND DUG WELLS

Driller (4 day X $5)	20.00	Traditional contractor/
6 Helpers (4 x $2)	48.00	Digger @ $2/foot	90.00

TOTALS FOR DRILLING/DIGGING 12 WELLS

PERCUSSION DRILL		HAND DUG WELLS

Tools	210.00	Tools	69.00
Labor X 12 wells	816.00	Labor X 12 wells	1080.00
Total	1026.00	Total	1149.00
Cost per well	85.50	Cost per well	95.75

When it comes to finishing the well, there are many other savings to be found. In the following example, we will assume that, to provide for a long lasting and safe well, the hand dug well will have the minimum of protection in the form of a raised cement lid and cement rings to line the well at the water table only. The drilled well will have four-inch plastic PVC casing and a concrete platform.

MATERIALS FOR FINISHING ONE WELL

PERCUSSION DRILL		HAND DUG WELLS

Hacksaw	10.00	Trowel	3.50
Trowel	3.50	Pliers	5.00
1 Bag Cement	7.50	Sheet metal form	15.00
45' PVC Casing(4")	28.00	7 bag Cement	52.50
Fittings & glue	5.00	Wire reinforcement	35.00
Labor: well screen	4.00	Labor: sand gathering	7.00
Labor: sand and clay	4.00
Total	62.00	Total	118.00

LABOR FOR FINISHING ONE WELL

PERCUSSION DRILL		HAND DUG WELLS

Driller 2 days	10.00	Technician 4.5 days	22.50
Helper 2 days	4.00	Helper 4.5 days	9.00
Total	14.00	Total	31.50

FINISHING 12 WELLS

PERCUSSION DRILL		HAND DUG WELLS

Tools	13.50	Tools	23.50
Materials X 12	582.00	Materials X 12	1134.00
Labor X 12 wells	168.00	Labor X 12 wells	378.00
Total	763.50	Total	1535.62
Cost per well	56.62	Cost per well	127.96

If we add the totals for both digging and finishing the twelve wells, the grand total looks like this:

DRILLING AND FINISHING TWELVE WELLS

PERCUSSION DRILL		HAND DUG WELLS

Drilling	1026.00	Digging	1149.00
Finishing	763.50	Finishing	1,535.50
Total	1,789.50	Total	2,684.50
Cost per well	149.13	Cost per well	223.71

Back to Chapter One

Last updated November 06, 2010 by