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[[Image:Treadle_pump_icon.png|right]]
[[Image:Emas0.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Emas well drilling]]
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==Suitable conditions ==
[[Image:Emas.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Drilling a well in Colombia with the EMAS method.]]
[[Image:Emas1.png|thumb|right|150px|All the equipment needed easily fits on a small hand-cart.]]
Wells as deep as 90 meters can be drilled within 3-4 days without any machine employment and exclusively through the use of manual labor. Depths up to 100 m have been reached with the EMAS method. Most regions of South America (loam and sandy soils) are geologically suitable for this drilling method (predominantly rinsing or suction drilling).
==Technical specification==
[[Image:Emas2.png|thumb|right|150px|Setting up the light-weight drill tower.]]
[[Image:Emas4.png|thumb|right|150px|Installing the lever, used to move the drill stem up and down.]]
====Operation====
No temporary casing is used. Upon reaching the desired depth, drilling fluid is removed from the hole by injecting progressively lower density mud. If unstable layers are present, however, this diluting can make the well collapse before it can be cased. In such cases it may be better to case the well with mud in it and evacuate the mud afterwards by pouring or injecting water into the casing (backwashing).
====Maintenance====
[[Image:Emas3.png|thumb|right|150px|Drilling in process: one person operates the lever, one person guides the drill stem and rotates it, the third person operates the mud pump.]]
[[Image:Emas5.png|thumb|right|150px|The mud pump in close-up.]]
====Manufacturing ====
==Cost==
[[Image:Emas6.png|thumb|right|150px|The well screen, slits cut with saw, end capped. Later, a sock is pulled around the screen.]]
[[Image:Emas9.png|thumb|right|150px|After the well screen is put in the well, the well is developed by a special tool.]]
An EMAS drilling rig, fit to drill holes up to 30 m deep, can be built in Bolivia for about US$ 600 - 800. This includes the tower, mud pump and all essential non-common tools to operate and maintain it.
==Manuals==
[[Image:Emas8.png|thumb|right|150px|Putting in an EMAS flexi-pump.]]
[[Image:Emas7.png|thumb|right|150px|Wetting the cement for the pump base.]]
* EMAS have produced a set of DVDs which cover, among others EMAS drilling and other low cost water supply techniques. Contact Wolfgang Buchner on [email protected] if you would like to order a copy. The movies will also be made available on the web.