Major Problems and Minor Maintenace

Major Problems and Minor Maintenance

During the surveys carried out in April 1997 of the 15 bucket
pumps installed in previous years, it was found that the major
problem was the wear and tear of the steel wire rope. This
caused, in some cases, the dropping of the cylinder in the well
bottom. The wearing was more evident in wells subject to
intensive use as well as in those having low-yield and high water
level fluctuation during water withdrawal; in both cases the wire
rope is subject to high stress. The section of the wire-rope that
generally becomes weakened with use is that close to the
cylinder. This section, in fact, gets wet by the flushing of the
water every time the cylinder is re-filled, with consequent fast
rusting of the wire. To reduce this risk, it is essential to
periodically treat the first 5-6 ft of wire rope with anti-rust
varnish.

The villagers in charge of the well maintenance should be
informed about this problem and instructed on the wire treatment
with anti-rust varnish or intervene by reinforcing it with the
means at their disposition (nylon rope, flexible small diameter
iron wire or other type of material) until the a new wire rope is
purchased to replace the old one.

The persons in charge of the maintenance, preferably living close
to the well site, should receive a set of pliers and clamps for
tightening the cylinder to the wire rope (after the rusted
section is cut off by chisel). In addition, they should receive
an iron hook , grease, anti-rust varnish and a
chisel.