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rwsn » Flagship Themes » Cost-effective Boreholes » Code of Practice » Database and Record Keeping

Database and Record Keeping

Principle 8: Storage of hydrogeological data is undertaken by a central Government institution with records updated, information made freely available and used in preparing subsequent drilling specifications.

Sub-principles

  • A national (or regional level) database of all borehole drilling records should be established and kept up-to-date. If no such national database exists, sector stakeholders should keep and archive records of all borehole drilling work undertaken until it is established.
  • The data from all drilling programmes and projects in the country should feed into this database.
  • Data from the database should be made available free of restriction.

Discussion

The cumulative knowledge of groundwater resources provided by adequate and accessible data archives greatly enhances the chances of successful drilling and borehole construction. Borehole logs, completion reports and pumping test data (as specified in the drilling contract) must always be submitted to the relevant national (and/or) local authority. Information from “dry” or unsuccessful boreholes is just as important as that from the successful ones.

There is need for specific key data to be abstracted from the drilling completion reports and entered into a national database for borehole drilling. Such a database needs to be properly established, kept up to date, be readily accessible to all, and ensure that there is no duplication of data entry (i.e. by using a unique borehole identification number and GPS information). If there is no national database, drilling data should be archived by sector stakeholders until such a mechanism, with a responsible agent, is established. Government and external support organisations should be encouraged to enforce data gathering, establish groundwater databases and build the national capacity in this regard.

It is internationally accepted that to assess progress and status of national groundwater development and guide future planning, it is necessary to maintain good records of borehole drilling, and index and archive original documents so that they can be readily accessed. Records should include:

  • pre-qualification and tender evaluation reports;
  • reports of community mobilisation and training;
  • schedules of construction supervision;
  • monitoring reports.