Littlehampton firm’s water lifeline for Darfur

Dando Drilling International, which traces its beginnings back to a cholera epidemic in Littlehampton almost a century and a half ago, is still helping to defeat disease in the 21st century in developing countries.

One of West Sussex’s longest-established manufacturing companies, Dando has provided three of its world-renowned drilling rigs being used for a special United Nations project in Darfur, Sudan.

The 24-tonne water well drilling rigs were hipped out to the UN body earlier this year and have now been commissioned by Dando engineers Steve Goulding and Stan Kirby.

Less than half of Darfur’s population has access to fresh, clean water and the UN is confident that the wells created by the rigs will transform the lives of thousands of people.

One of the Dando Watertec 24 rigs has already drilled a 236-metre deep borehole in Gereida, which is expected to produce more than 16,000 litres of water.

Similar water wells have also been drilled in El Fasher and El Daein. This new supply of water will be shared by the local Darfuris and the UN mission, which has drilled its very first water well using its own equipment and crew.

A company spokesman said: “Dando is proud to have been named the supplier of choice for this project and its drilling rigs will allow Darfur communities to be more self-sufficient with their water supply.”