On-farm Evaluation of Manual Well Driller for Shallow Groundwater in Western Oromia, Ethiopia

The art and science of manually drilling involves the use of human strength and resources to obtain groundwater. A significant portion of the population in developing nations cannot afford the high cost of machine-drilled wells. If not lined properly, hand-dug wells frequently collapse. Thus, this study's objective was to assess manual well drillers on-farm for efficient groundwater use in the Jimma Zone's Dedo, Jimma, and Omo Nadda. The hard, impermeable subsurface could be reached by the Driller. The driller in this investigation dug down to a depth of 24 meters. A maximum of six human resources were needed. At the various locations of Dedo, Jimma, Omo Nadda I, and Omo Nadda II, the depth of drilling and time required were (2.83 hours, 9.5 m), (11 hours, 24 m), (7.3 hours, 12.2 m), and (2.6 hours,10.12 m), respectively. The driller's capacity to drill grows with depth since it takes longer and requires more manpower. The duration and depth of the drilling at the particular location are directly correlated. Because of the impermeable layer, it is advised that extra caution be used when manufacturing the cutting tip. According to field observations, it is preferable to switch from a manual driller to one that is powered by an engine or motor because the input from operators showed that the driller became more challenging as the depth increased