April 24, 2024
Well Aware Partners with INTERA to Advance First of its Kind Water Projects in Kenya
New geophysical instrumentation provided by The Colorado School of Mines to increase access to water by 50%
AUSTIN, Texas, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Well Aware, an international nonprofit, announced today a partnership with Environmental and Water Resource Consulting Firm INTERA. This strategic partnership will leverage Well Aware’s established project network and expertise in water well projects, alongside INTERA’s extensive background in geophysics, to enhance the success and capacity of water well initiatives.
By deploying open-source accessible instrumentation alongside state-of-the-art surface geophysical equipment and techniques, Well Aware and INTERA will collect an extensive database of hydrogeological information that currently does not exist in Kenya. This will aid in more efficient and accurate identification of drilling locations – dramatically reducing wait times from one to two months to two to three days – leading to more successful projects and reduced uncertainties during the drilling process.
Despite receiving up to 200 water project requests annually, Well Aware’s capacity to implement these projects is limited. This partnership represents a significant step towards streamlining the qualification process for these critical projects. Through this initiative, Well Aware will be able to provide 25,000 more people with lasting clean water this year alone, with that number expected to grow year over year with increased funding.
The partnership will also involve collaboration with Colorado School of Mines professors Dr. Jeffrey Shragge and Dr. Rich Krahenbuhl and colleagues to provide access to a low-cost direct-current resistivity meter designed for humanitarian geophysics applications, further enhancing Well Aware’s subsurface mapping capabilities.
“Through this partnership and collaboration, Well Aware expects to complete 50% more groundwater well projects and impact 50% more people than with today’s current resources – setting a new industry standard in the nonprofit water sector,” said Sarah Evans, founder of Well Aware. “It’s an ongoing challenge for us to find the expertise and data in Kenya to complete this critical step of determining the viability of a project’s location and can be a costly process. Now we’ll be able to save tens of thousands of dollars in surveying costs.”
This month, Well Aware will use the new equipment and technology to support seven new water projects, five in Laikipia and two in Isiolo. In Laikipia, the nonprofit will provide a water system for Daraja Girls School, a girls academy serving over 450 students and over 1,000 people in the surrounding community; in Isiolo, a primary school serving over 600 students and the larger community of over 3,000 people will receive access to clean water. All of the communities involved currently have unreliable access to clean water, resulting in high rates of malnutrition and water-borne illnesses. Over the months and years to come, this initial impact will grow substantially as families from surrounding areas move closer to have access to water and provide a healthier life for their children and greater job opportunities for adults.
INTERA relies on proven, practical, and innovative strategies to help its clients make informed business decisions, mitigate risk, and drive optimal outcomes. With sustainability in focus, they help companies and organizations understand their options and apply sound science and years of experience to every problem.
“We are honored to partner with Well Aware and bring our geophysics expertise to Kenya to increase confidence in drilling targets and increase the number of water well projects they can take on,” said Michelle Pedrazas, geoscientist at INTERA. “At INTERA, water is our business. We have proven proficiency in helping our clients identify and quantify reliable and affordable water supplies to meet their needs, and ensure the availability of water resources for future generations.”
This partnership, bolstered by the INTERA Ron Lantz Stewardship Grant, aims to fundamentally change the approach to identifying and drilling water sources in Sub-Saharan Africa. Stay tuned for updates on Well Aware’s progress and the transformative impact that will be achieved.
About Well Aware:
Well Aware is a women-led international nonprofit dedicated to addressing water scarcity and promoting sustainable water solutions in East Africa. With a focus on community empowerment and technical expertise, they work to catalyze development and provide access to clean water for generations to come. Well Aware maintains a 100% success rate, setting the standard for innovation and sustainability in the water aid sector, and their groundbreaking Well Beyond app keeps rural water systems running for life. To learn more, visit www.wellawareworld.org.