Groundwater Relief is developing a roster of on call groundwater experts who can be deployed quickly to support organisations engaged in emergency water supply activities.
This Rapid Response Unit is a unique service offering:
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Experienced Professionals
Individuals on the Rapid Response Unit have passed through a vigorous selection process and not only have the relevant skill sets but also have demonstrated their ability to work in emergency response within teams.
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Remote Support Team
The field team is supported by a remote support team who provide: 1) Information through desk based studies; 2) GIS and remote sensing support; 3) Connections with in country groundwater professionals; 4) Data analysis support; 5) Problem solving to technical issues
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Field equipment
The field team can be deployed with a variety of different types of equipment to support drilling or rehabilitation works including: geophysical equipment, a borehole camera, water quality testing equipment and groundwater monitoring equipment.
Case Study:
May 2015, Borehole siting, drilling and pumping test field work, Paoua, Central African Republic (CAR)
With less than one week notice a hydrogeologist travelled to Paoua, Central African Republic (CAR) to support Medecins Sans Frontieres France in drilling a new borehole for Paoua Hospital. The hydrogeologist brought equipment to support the work including data loggers, GPS and water quality analysis equipment.
Following a geophysical survey, two boreholes were drilled successfully, one at the hospital and one at the field base. The hospital borehole was the most productive borehole in the locality according to records obtained from the National Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (ANEA: Agence Nationale de l’Eau et de l’Assainissement).
