Tadzuka Permaculture: A Fresh Start for the Water Project in Kamphata - 23.10.2026
It has been a while since we last reported on the water project at the Tadzuka Permaculture Farm. That is because not every project always goes to plan.
In July we reported that work on the tank stand was about to begin. It soon became clear, however, that the construction had serious flaws. At a meeting in Kamphata attended by the contractor, the Tadzuka team and representatives of our local partner NGO, this was confirmed: the stand did not reach the required height, and its quality would have posed a safety risk over time. The contractor attributed the problems to insufficiently skilled workers and a lack of guidance and supervision on site. Some decisions had also been made without consulting the team. The contractor accepted full responsibility.
For us, it was clear the stand could not remain as it was. We therefore ended our collaboration with the contractor and terminated the contract. Most of the funds already paid were refunded; only the cost of work already completed was retained, chiefly the drilling of the borehole and the materials purchased. The borehole itself is not affected by the defects.
The pause that followed was not easy. The project is time-sensitive: without a reliable water supply, the crops are hard to keep alive outside the rainy season. At the same time, continuing would have cost considerably more than originally planned. During this period the Tadzuka team found a new contractor, and together we were able to renegotiate the offer. What finally made the fresh start possible were donations from supporters who care deeply about this project succeeding. We are especially grateful to them.
The new contractor began work in September with a pumping test, measuring over several hours how much water the borehole can deliver on a sustained basis. The result was around one litre per second, or roughly 3,600 litres an hour, which is enough to irrigate the fields.
Work on a new foundation for the tank stand has since begun:
We have drawn our conclusions from the past few months. The work is now being monitored much more closely to make sure every step is carried out carefully and to the agreed standards. That the defects were identified, resolved with the contractor and followed by a fresh start is above all thanks to the Tadzuka team and our local partner NGO, who took responsibility in a difficult situation. We will keep you updated on the project’s progress.
