en.Wedoany.com Reported - In the Mandoul and Salamat regions of southern Chad, over 500 hand-pumped wells, 57 centralized water supply stations, and more than 100 public toilets have been put into use. The project, initiated by China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co., Ltd. at the end of October 2024, aims to reduce the hardship of residents traveling long distances for water and expand access to safe water in vulnerable rural areas. According to a statement from the Chadian government, the project has benefited over 600,000 residents.
For years, residents of Mandoul and Salamat have faced challenges of distant water sources and unsafe water. In Madan, Koumra district, the capital of Mandoul, resident Robgue Ozias previously had to walk four kilometers daily to fill a bucket of water. He stated that during the dry season, each family needed to send at least one physically capable person to complete this journey.
The technical scale of the project is reflected in the drilling depth. According to Huo Wenlong, the project site manager in Mandoul, the average depth of hand-pumped wells exceeds 45 meters, while the drilling depth for centralized water supply stations exceeds 90 meters, with the deepest well reaching over 150 meters. Before drilling, surveys and preliminary analyses are conducted to ensure water quality and quantity meet standards. In Aboudeia, Salamat, previous drilling attempts over 20 years had failed due to rocky terrain and low groundwater yield. Project manager Fu Renyin stated that after eight months of work, the team achieved a water yield suitable for the community, and the project was nearly completed by the end of June.
In early June, as Chad's dry season ended, temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. At the new water supply stations, women and children lined up to collect water, with the distance reduced from the previous four kilometers to just tens of meters. Mrangue Madjingain, the traditional leader of Madan, said the project has brought hope to over 6,000 compatriots, and a stable water supply helps reduce diseases caused by water quality issues.
Herdsmen have also benefited. In Ngonbe, Koumtemadji Raikeman no longer needs to spend hours driving livestock in search of water. In the village of Kouman, 60-year-old Anmadji Kosadoum said the community now has drinking water during both the dry and rainy seasons.
To ensure continuous operation of the water supply stations, engineers installed a dual-energy system. According to Huo Wenlong, the stations operate on solar power when sunlight is available and automatically switch to generators at night or on cloudy days, aiming to provide uninterrupted water supply. Mangue Oudah Ali, the representative of water resources and energy in Mandoul, praised the work of the Chinese team, stating that water is now available right in front of women. Passalet Kanabe Marcelin, Chad's Minister of Water Resources and Energy, has inspected the project site multiple times, stating that the project will benefit over 600,000 people and help accelerate the implementation of the national drinking water supply and sanitation program in vulnerable rural areas.
