Nuevo Horizonte Franco

Well No. 19

Nuevo Horizonte - Franco House

Sponsors - Jim & Cheryl Manley

Suwanee, Georgia

This is the fourth well that we have drilled in the settlement of Nuevo Horizonte, a newly opened homestead community (Wells 16, 17 and 18 are also located in the area). This well is located between the Franco and Martinez families, on what will in the future become a main road through the area. Emidrio Franco is a lay preacher who is very active in the Quinta Linea Church and preaches at many of our evangelism campaigns. Like all the wells in the Nuevo Horizonte settlement, the families are far from available water resources and several families can easily access the well.

Pastor Emidrio Franco's house

The next door neighbor's son - VERY interested in the drilling

Like the other wells in Nuevo Horizonte, this well is also fitted with a hand pump due to lack of electric power. When we drill wells that are not located at churches or schools, we draw up a formal agreement deeding the well location to the Neighborhood Commission, and then get the representatives of the Neighborhood Commission to sign an agreement committing to not limit access to the water based on religion, political affiliation or race. In this way, we hope to assure that the water will remain accessible to all who need it in the future.

The "drill team" breaking rod as we come out of the hole at the end of the day

Concrete well pad (just poured) with the hose we use to clean the well using an air compressor

We were able to employ two seasoned drillers - Genarao took over from Bonifacio, who was busy harvesting his sesame crop, as lead driller. Felix continued as "rod man" and we hired Ignacio, a neighbor, to be the helper. The team worked hard and we got the well drilled in two days. We poured the base for the hand pump the next day and did some clean-up. We use an air compressor to clean out the well (the two black pipes in the picture above). After cleaning all week-end, the water was crystal clear and ready for the pump.

The proud drillers - another completed well.

Ignacio Martinez and his wife Juancita getting the first gallons of water from the new well - she was ready with her bucket as we were putting away the tools!

We set the hand pump without any problems the following Monday - and the well is already in use! Ignacio and Juancita are planning to grow a crop of ka'a-heé, which is the local name for stevia, an all natural zero calorie sweetener. However, it needs to be irrigated during the dry spells, so they are glad to have the well. Hopefully, their ka'a-heé crop will allow them make a little extra cash this year - Praise the Lord!

Technical Details

Sponsor: Jim & Cheryl Manley, Suwanee, Georgia

Drilling date: Feb 27 - Mar 5, 2007

Location: Latitude - S24° 26.214’ Longitude - W 056° 08.176'

Elevation: 206 meters above mean sea level

Total cost: $1,700

Drill depth: 37.5 meters

Soil types encountered: clayey sand and sandstone, clean coarse sand at depth

Static groundwater level: 1 meters below ground surface

Dynamic groundwater level: unknown (hand pump)

Installed well depth: 36 meters

Length of screened section: 12 meters

Length of gravel packed section: 16 meters

Length and type of sealed section: 0.7 meters of bentonite pellets

Pump description: 2 inch cylinder hand pump

Depth to base of pump: 30 meters

Flow rate: N/A

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