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DAM-L WORKING WITH PRIVATE ENTERPRISE TO SOLVE VILLAGE WATER PROBLEMS (fwd)
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To: dianne@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca
Subject: WORKING WITH PRIVATE ENTERPRISE TO SOLVE VILLAGE WATER PROBLEMS
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2001 12:28:03 -0600
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Right to Water (right-to-water@iatp.org) Posted: 10/29/2001 By senatorbill@nmia.com
============================================================
Dear Listserv Members
While members to this listserve may talk about the right to water, it is
more important that you do something about it. The attached email from a
gentlemen in Sri Lanka may give one of you the opportunity. It seems he has
a private company and is trying to provide water to villages at 1/10th the
cost of the government program. He is doing this for a profit. If the NGO
mantra is that government must do it always remember the acronym TANSTAFL
"There aint no such thing as a free lunch." If private enterprise can do it
at a lower cost then support it.
I hope one of you will step in and assist this programs.
Sincerely,
WaterBank.Com
Dr. William M. Turner, Trustee
-----Original Message-----
From: MINI WELL SYSTEMS [PVT] LTD <mwsys@slt.lk>
To: Bill Turner <senatorbill@nmia.com>
Date: 29 October 2001 07:43
Subject: Re: Water Supply
>
>At 08:07 PM 10/15/01 -0600, you wrote:
>>October 15, 2001
>
>
>
>>I need a lot more information. Horizontal wells are unusual unless you
>>mean simple infiltration galleries. I can feel your desperation. Who
have
>>you appealed to for help? $30,000 is not a lot of money. I would like to
>>know more about the program. Budgets, personnel, projects, past
>>performance.
>
>>The money has got to get to the people who need the water.
>>
>Would your program be willing to approach the U.S.
>Embassy, U.S. A.I.D. Mission and request assistance for program evaluation
>>through what used to be called the WASH project. It is free to
applicants.
>>It may have a different name now. You would specifically ask for me as
the
>>evaluator. I have worked as a contractor for this agency throughout
Africa,
>>South America and Asia in years past. My favourable evaluation would give
>>me good cause to enlist the assistance of private donors and perhaps U.S.
>>funding, particularly in these difficult times when we seek to stamp out
>>terrorists and return stability and control to local communities.
>Would your group accept the assistance of private religious affiliates?
>>
>>29 Oct 2001
>
>
>The date of my reply seems to have been dated to 11/17/01
>So perhaps you did not read it and am therefore sending it again.
>I believe most of the information is in the attachments.
>The financials will depend on the probable time scale
>as I am trying to cope as much as I can
>but do not know how long I can hold out.
>I have also been having trouble with our internet server for several days.
>
>
>>
>Dear Dr. Turner,
>
>Thank you very much for your reply.
>Seems I have conveyed my desperation in the e-mail.
>I did not intend to.
>Any loss to me is not a problem.
>My wish long time ago was to exit the way I entered.
>My regret is that a useful technology will be lost. not to mention about 30
>jobs.
>
>ABOUT ME
>Ceylon Tamil, Born Malaysia,sent to Ceylon after war for schooling.
>Age 69, wife + 3children in UK-Engineer, Accountant, Doctor.
>
>Graduated in university of Ceylon in Enineering.
>Worked about 4 years in Ceylon
>Ceylon to UK with Costains a civil engineering firm.
>UK to Nigeria with the Western Nigeria Water Cporporation.
>
>After 4 years set up own construction company in Nigeria
>Undertook mainly water and irrigation projects.
>Company achieved turnover of about $ 20 million per year.
>Had to be wound up due to large sums owed by governments
>and no recourse possible due to military governance.
>
>After over 25 years decided to call it a day staying in UK.
>But found that there was still some mileage left.
>Had been interested in low cost water systems and heat pumping
>
>So came to Ceylon about 5 years ago undertaking
>Small diameter boreholes for individual domestic water and,
>Wells with horizontally drilled infiltration galleries for larger water
>supplies.
>and heat pump drying for agricultural produce. I have also been trying bio
>diesel
>
>Had to fight against conventional wisdom.
>To overcome this took high risks such as No WATER NO PAYMENT
>
>The risk has paid off as we have been obtaining work
>purely from those who have heard of our services from those who have used
it.
>
>In Ceylon most goundwater supplies are from deep boreholes often from
fissures.
>Water from surface aquifers or overburden is totally ignored
>except in the case of dug wells of which there are over 5 million.
>Failure rate if boreholes is over 30% with many the cause of saline
intrusion.
>
>PRESENT PREDICAMENT
>
>In Ceylon the Water Board is the sole water authority and considered
experts
>in the field.
>All government and semi government organisations
>are required to obtain the advise or serevices of the Board on water.
>It was therefore necessary to obtain recognition by the Board.
>The Board officials are also the most incompetent and corrupt
>
>This is where our problem started.
>
>We tendered for and were awarded the contracts for three water systems
>The existing systems had failed and
>we proposed wells with infiltration galleries as alternatives..
>
>Our offers were accepted
>with conditions that payment will only if water is delivered,
>a 20% retention and 2 year maintenance
>all on grounds that the technology was not known and not proved.
>
>On one contract we asked for variation order which
>I now see would have exposed the corruption of the engineer's
representative.
>It seems he decided to protect himself by getting us out of business
>by delaying our work and payments.
>Otherwise immediate, payments outstanding is over Rs5m or about$ 50,000.
>We will eventually get our payment after appeals or arbitration.
>But the damage would have been done as I have no source of interim funding
>
>I have been looking for funding for the last 5 years.
>There are definitely no development funds or project funding in Ceylon.
>Local banks are mere pawn brokers.
>They only lend money at over 100% security at usuary interest rates.
>
>The nearest I came to funding is from a venture vapital company
>They went to the extent of a due deligence on the technology.
>They were satisfied but by that time their focus had changed to IT.
>They did not think they could make as much money in water.
>
>On the other hand the Overseas development Agency has spent millions of
pounds
>in trying to bring the technology to the market place with projects in
>Botswana-sand rivers, Malaysia and even in Ceylon.
>
>I have also tried the ODA and US AID with no luck.
>
>Maybe my methods are wrong.
>
>THE COMPANY
>We are not an NGO.
>
>We are a private company so far wholly funded by me
>amounting to over $300,000 over the last 5 years
>excluding any remunerations for myself.
>I have an arrangement of living on credit card with bills paid by my
>children.
>
>One of the problems with the technology is that water systems by it cost
about
>one fifth to one tenth of conventional systems.
>
>Even with water at below 20% of the present Water Board rate
>we would make unconcinable profits.
>
>I have reduced the permanent staff to an essential core of
>3 geologists, a civil and electrical TO, drillers and Baas( artisan
headman)
>
>One of the largest areas of application is in the South of Ceylon.
>This is the location of 2 armed conflicts with many thousand deaths- mainly
>youths.
>Water and employment are the basic causes still not addressed.
>Politicians are fantasising over projects that could never materialise or
be
>sustainable.
>
>The cost of providing water was estimated at over $ 300 million
>against estimated cost by the technology of under $ 30 million
>with staged construction possible with an initial capital of only about
>$3 million.
>
>We are trying to move away from being contractors to being suppliers of
water.
>The prime reason is to ensure a steady cash flow and
>avoid any possibilities of failure due to lack of maintenance.
>
>Immediately we have firm inquies from, hotels, industries, universities,and
>schools.
>
>For local communities the problem is guarantee of payment.
>At the moment there are no mechanisms for debt recovery from local
authorities.
>Otherwise there is a huge need.
>
>
>I have no problems about accepting funds from religeous groups.
>In fact THE COMPANY OFFERs A READY MADE VEHICLE TO
>INSTALL WATER SYSTEMS WHERE THEY WANT.
>Area of operation need not be confined to Ceylon.
>
>What is needed is only a core team.
>The cost of this will be about $4,000 per month in Ceylon.
>In Ceylon the team can install manually
>over 2,000 cu m per dayof supplies per year
>
>ALTERNATIVELY IT COULD SUIT A RETIRED PERSON WHO WISHES TO DO SOMETHING
>I will be around as long as is needed.
>
>Perhaps you would like to review the few attachments sent.
>When I know the time frame for any funding
>I can give a realistic estimate which is constantly changing
>and which is likely to be less than the $30,000 estimated now.
>
>Once again thanking you for the reply
>with kind regards
>
>
>V.Tharumaratnam
>
V.Tharumaratnam
Mini Well Systems (Pvt) Ltd
161/1 Colombo Rd, Hewagama,
Kaduwela
Sri Lanka
Tel/Fax:Biz 94-1-539757 Home94-1-539108
e-mail: mwsys@slt.lk
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----- End of forwarded message from senatorbill@nmia.com -----