EMAS Concept

The EMAS concept

The EMAS concept is a development concept for self- supply in the Water Sanitation Health (WASH) sector, based on personal responsibility, a simple technology and easy available materials. It also relies on local technicians who offer their low-cost solutions working full-time or part-time. For example, drilled wells, rainwater systems, sanitary installations, solar panels for hot water, etc.

This adapted and sustainable technology as such is only successful if it is combined with a very special application concept. Only in interaction with the concept does this technology become sustainable and an engine of development. If it deviates from the concept, the disadvantages or weaknesses of the technology will lead to pump failures and create dissatisfied users. An EMAS pump is very cheap, easy to install and manufacture, but it is made up of plastic pipes that can break. If it is used as a public pump, it would soon become defective. On the contrary, while used as a family pump, where the owner takes care of it and maintains it, this pump will serve him for many years.

As a development concept, EMAS starts a process in which different customer groups gradually come to the conclusion that it is better for their family to buy their own well or cistern nearby their home, instead of waiting a long time for projects. NGOs or the government, which may end up giving a communal well, far from the house, and often without maintenance.

Customer groups are also social classes. The first group of clients in this development process normally forms the middle class and slowly expands until finally reaching the poorest families. At the beginning, the poorest carry their water from a public well or ask for water from neighbors who already have their own. But over time they also become convinced that they should save money for their own well. It is rare that several families come together and jointly finance a well. A process like this takes many years, but it is sustainable and arises from the human interior. The personal relationship between the local well driller/water-technician and the client is very important in this concept.

A person who has solved a problem as important as water for his family and with his own effort, gains self-confidence and will then be more willing to address other problems in his environment.

The EMAS concept is market-oriented. Through competition between local water technicians, an acceptable quality and a real price are achieved. Raising awareness or insisting well drillers to consider the poor in their prices, do a good job and provide a good maintenance service, has almost never worked. EMAS or its local partner cannot always control the quality of the work and the price. Only free competition among water technicians can achieve this. If the client has paid for his water system like a well or a rain water cistern, so he also has the right to complain and will do so. This right is generally not exercised in the case of gifted wells.

Therefore, the main task of EMAS is to provide the best possible training to water technicians and install them in a sufficient number in the region. So they can then compete, each one independently, with their colleagues or "pirates" in price, quality and maintenance service. The wider the range of technologies that a technician offers, the more will be his workload in the trade and therefore the growth of his own company. If a well driller or cistern builder becomes too expensive and makes a lot of money, this situation will encourage others to also get into well drilling business. The technology is easy to learn and the drilling equipment is neither expensive nor complicated to build.

In the initial phase of the EMAS technology transfer, a local partner is needed. First, the content of the technology and the concept (successful way of application) are discussed with him. The partner can be a religious, governmental, non-governmental or private organization. The partner takes care of local issues such as general logistics, accommodation and food for the participants, the workshop, transportation, but also preliminary geological exploration of the terrain, potential clients, selection of participants and much more. Between basic and advanced courses, the partner supervises the new technicians in their practical work and, together with EMAS, develops a plan for their integration into self-employment. Among the partner's tasks is also a certain subsidy and quality control of the first wells or cisterns. As soon as a certain level of popularity is reached, the partner withdraws. The technology and concept transfer should be completed after about three years. Then the partner has withdrawn and is only sporadically informed about the state of affairs. The so-called "pirates" are well drillers/water suppliers who learned the trade in the second generation or as assistants to a water technician and after obtaining the tools, they also present themselves as competitors. Pirates are the best proof of success of the EMAS concept. EMAS will always offer training and improvement also to "pirates" within its possibilities. To become a successful “pirate” or water supplier of the second generation, there have to be fair market conditions. This means, that there must not exist subsidized wells for certain well drillers and others have to charge the real full price.