1

Tender document for

Construction/Installation of small-scale water

infrastructure in the Dry Zone of Myanmar
(Shwebo, Monywa, Myingyan, Nyaung U and
Chauk)

TUBE-WELLS DRILLING

FOR DRINKING WATER

&
INSTALLATION OF PUMPING SYSTEMS

Publication reference:
Technical Specifications of tube well Works

Annex 5 - Construction/Installation of small-scale water infrastructure in the Dry Zone of Myanmar (Shwebo, Monywa,
Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)
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Table of contents
A. Technical specifications and procedures for drilling and equipping of tube-wells for water
facilities.......................................................................................................................................................
A.1. Nature of contract........................................................................................................................
A.2. Implementing partner’s drilling equipment.................................................................................
A.3. Site selection................................................................................................................................
A.4. Tube-well construction................................................................................................................
A.4.1. Drilling Methods.................................................................................................................
A.4.2. Tube-well Depth..................................................................................................................
A.4.3. Tube-well Diameter.............................................................................................................
A.4.4. Screen..................................................................................................................................
A.4.5. Casing Pipe and Sand Trap.................................................................................................
A.4.6. Gravel Packing and Grouting..............................................................................................
A.4.7. Profile of expected tube-well..............................................................................................
A.5. Tube-well development...............................................................................................................
A.6. Pumping and recovery test..........................................................................................................
A.7. Water quality testing...................................................................................................................
A.8. Sampling and drill-time-logs.......................................................................................................
A.9. Chlorination after tube-well completion.....................................................................................
A.10. Straightness and verticality test...............................................................................................
A.11. Protection.................................................................................................................................
A.12. Abandonment..........................................................................................................................
A.13. « Lost » (unsuccessful) tube-wells..........................................................................................
13.1 Dry tube-wells.............................................................................................................................
A.13.1. Uncompleted tube-wells......................................................................................................
A.14. Test of acceptability and reports.............................................................................................

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Annex 5 - Construction/Installation of small-scale water infrastructure in the Dry Zone of Myanmar (Shwebo, Monywa,
Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)
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A. Technical specifications and procedures

for drilling and equipping of tube-wells
for water facilities

A.1. Nature of contract

1. The Specifications are for the drilling of 14 deep tube-wells equipped with immerged
pumps and 20 shallow tube-wells equipped with hand pumps.
2. The Implementing partner shall provide all labor, transport, plant, tools, equipment and
materials and appurtenances, and shall perform all Works necessary to satisfactorily
- locate sites for drilling,
- construct and complete successfully drilled tube-wells including
lowering of tube-well assembly with PVC casing and Screen and end
cap,
- gravel pack at appropriate intervals and back fill, close near surface
water table aquifer,
- cleaning and development of tube-wells,
- pump test for 3 hours,
- chlorinate tube-well,
- Construct the concrete structure for the tube-well
- Install the pumping system (hand pump or immerged pump).

A.2. Implementing partner’s drilling equipment

1. The Implementing partner shall specify in the Schedule of Drilling Equipment, tube-well
development and other accessory equipment, its type and capacity that is to be used to
undertake this work. Its capacity shall be sufficient to cope with the Works as stated in the
Contract. It shall at all times be kept in full working order and good repair.
If the Supervision Firm considers that the drilling equipment or any accessories in use is
unsuitable, the Supervision Firm shall have the right to call upon the Implementing partner
to put such equipment in good order within seven days or alternatively to remove such
plant and replace it with additional plant or equipment which the Supervision Firm
considers necessary to meet the requirements of the Contract. In the event that this
requirement of the Contract is not satisfied, the Supervision Firm reserves the right to
terminate the Contract immediately.
2. No extra payment shall be made for the Implementing partner's change of drilling
equipment, labor or other equipment required to complete the Works specified, nor for
any incidentals thereto, the cost being deemed to be included in the schedule of rates.

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Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)
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A.3. Site selection

The community will pre-select three (3) sites per village which would be provided to the
implementing partner, stating the order of preference for the sites. The implementing partner
will receive the list of the villages and basic maps from the Supervision Firm (annex 1:
Conclusion sheet). The Implementing partner upon visiting these locations will determine the
road conditions for accessibility of the drilling rig and other heavy equipment.
The Implementing partner will receive from Supervision Firm an additional location as
replacement for any dry or unsuccessful tube-wells. Any changes or alternative sites must be
validated in priory with the supervision firm.
1. The technical sitting team should ensure that the sites selected for the tube-wells is
preferably within the communities and in no more than 500 meters from where at
least 80% of people of the community live.
The Supervision Firm will certify the site. The location should definitely not be in a
place that gets flooded in the rainy season and should be away from the flood plain
area of any streams or rivers in the locality. Special care must be taken to ensure that
the sites chosen are at least 50 meters away from toilet pits or any other sources of
pollution such as garbage pits, sewerage tanks or spills / overflow from pipes, grave
yard, stagnant pools of dirty water Animal pens (See figure in annex 10 for details). If
these conditions are not respected, the supervision firm can refuse to validate the
tube-well.
2. The Implementing partner in a District will technically select all sites, prepare a Drilling
Work Plan and communicate it to the Supervision Firm by both soft and hard copy.
3. For most of the selected sites, a special attention should be paid regarding the
accessibility in rainy season to enable the transport and exertion of heavy drilling
machines and relevant support vehicles. The implementing partner is in charge of any
required improvements to maintain and continue the site.
Therefore, the implementing partner has an obligation to inform the supervisory firm
of any reason why the site has ceased to function within a maximum of three working
days after the event.
4. The Implementing partner is in charge of site visit and selection of a socially preferable
location for each tube-well that satisfies the habitants in terms of usage convenience.
This selection will be in presence of a member of Supervision firm - “Hydroconseil”.
The site selection will be made in consultation with village water user group
representatives, village tract authorities and head of village.
5. Implementing partner could move to a new location only after two un-successful tube-
wells in one location under the order of supervision team.

A.4. Tube-well construction

A typical tube-well section / well section are shown in annex 10. Basic methods of drilling are
indicated below for following as basic guide, mostly to maintain a few key dimensional
specifications.

A.4.1. Drilling Methods

1. The preferred method of drilling in consolidated compact formations is rotary or
percussion with air and/or foam flush. Boreholes will be drilled 6 1/2 inches drill bits.
2. In unconsolidated loose, unstable, collapsing formations, rotary with appropriate drilling
stabilizer will be used. In such a case the drilling diameters will be 6 ½ inches. If other
chemical fluids or solids are used to arrest collapsing of formations, the Implementing

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Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)
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partner has to use proper tube-well development methods and tube-well cleaning
methods to ensure the tube-well water is safe for drinking purposes. The Implementing
partner will use such fluids or solids with the agreement of the Supervision Firm.
Boreholes will be constructed with PVC casing, screen and sand trap. Quality of all these
materials used should be in conformity with the drinking water standards. 20 m of
slotted screen for STW and 20 up to 40 ftm for DTW will be installed in tube-wells. All
cost of using proper drilling fluids and solids is inclusive of the rate per feet quoted. No
additional payments will be made by Supervision Firm.

A.4.2. Tube-well Depth

Tube-wells shall be drilled to such depths as to penetrate below the shallow water table aquifers
and tap the first potential deeper aquifer or aquifers in confined/semi-confined conditions.
The minimum discharge for each tube-wells is 0.25 gps to sustain continuous pump testing for 3
hours to ensure reliable operation of pumps fitted on them. The depth to be drilled should be, in
case of hand pump, minimum twenty feet (20) feet below the main aquifer to provide proper
installation of a hand pump and to provide a sand trap of 10 feet. If the discharge is less than 0.1
gallons/sec., a decision to abandon the tube-well or continue to drill deeper will be at the
discretion of the Implementing partner, validated by the Supervision Firm field staff. Any drilling
beyond 30 feets of the major strike which has supplied water greater than 0.1 gallon/ sec,
Supervision Firm will not pay for that excess drilling and installation of casings etc.

A.4.3. Tube-well Diameter

1. Tube-wells will be drilled with telescopic diameters.

2. The first 20 feet from the surface will have concrete grouting for sanitary protection. For
this the bore hole will be reamed to minimum diameter of 6 inches and concrete
grouting placed in the annular space between the casing and open tube-well wall
3. Tube-well will be drilled with 6 1/2 inches bit. The reaming diameter will be based on the
type of temporary casing the implementing partner will use1.
4. The implementing partner must take into account the depths he has to drill and
lower temporary casing to complete the drilling. This cost must be built in the quoted
unit cost for drilling.
5. The Supervision Firm will not be responsible for any lost of temporary casing which the
implementing partner is unable to pull out or lost due to snapping or breaking from the
completed tube-wells.

A.4.4. Screen
1. The Implementing partner will use proprietary; factory-made UPVC slotted screens, the
slot size and screen length depending on the aquifer materials and aquifer thickness. The
Implementing partner will propose a scheme of equipment to the supervision firm who
will take the responsibility of the design of the tube-well. The implementing partner will
then assemble and place screen and casing at appropriate.
2. Slotted screens should be of ISO standard and have the following specifications: PVC
Class 9/10, drinking water standards, non-toxic and in standard lengths of ten (10) feet in
length, diameter of 4 inches, slot width 0.8 mm and not more than 1mm, and open area
as percentage of internal surface area 9.26% per linear meter. Depending on the aquifer,
the Implementing partner may choose an appropriate slot width other than 0.8 mm.

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Drill bit sizes greater than those indicated are also acceptable to accommodate the drill bits which the
Implementing partner's rig is equipped with or of which the Implementing partner may have stocks
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Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)
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A.4.5. Casing Pipe and Sand Trap

1. Casing pipe should be of ISO standard and have the following specifications: U-PVC Class
10, drinking water standards, nontoxic and in standard lengths of ten (10) feet in length,
diameter of 4 inches wall thickness 5 mm.
2. The tube-wells will be fully cased up to bottom of the tube-well. The threads both male
and female are properly cleaned with a brush and cloth before they are joined. If the
pipes used are with bell and socket, these are cleaned using fluids and cemented with
recommended solvent cement by the manufacturers of the casing pipes and screen. Wait
for recommended time for the joint set firmly before lowering into the tube-well.
3. The Implementing partner will take all necessary precautions during the transportation
and storage of casing pipes from their warehouse to drilling site to prevent distortions,
bending or deformation of the pipe that could result in eccentricity along the length of
the pipe.
4. A maximum of 10 (10) feet length of sand trap will be part of the well design when
tube-wells are cased to the bottom. The sand trap will be from PVC casing pipe with
specifications described above ; fitted to the end of last screen and bottom end with an
end-cap. The end cap is glued with appropriate solvent cement or solutions as
recommended by the UPVC manufacturer. Note that the joints sections are properly
cleaned with cleaning fluids and recommended time given for the joint set firmly
before lowering into the tube-well.
5. Pipes and screens must be stored on a proper location and should be kept away from
prolonged sunlight exposure.

A.4.6. Gravel Packing and Grouting

1. The annular space between the casing and tube-well wall is filled with filter packing
materials in the screen intervals and back filling materials. The gravel packing mixture
to be used is 1-3 mm. It can be adapted to the ground condition (observing the
cuttings) if necessary
2. Gravel packing is carried out as continuous feed operations done usually by two people
filling uniformly along the circumference of the pipe. It is advisable to add some water
with a pipe so that the gravel flows down. If the gravel gets inside the temporary casing,
the casing is slowly pulled out and gentle well development is done to allow gravel to
settle properly to a height of 10 feet above the top of the screen interval or the targeted
water bearing formation. The gravel will be installed using the inverse flowing: gravel
is poured down during water injection from the bottom of the borehole.

3. Backfilling and grouting is done when the Minimum acceptable yield of 0.1 gallon/
second is confirmed by development. The tube-well cuttings or clayey soils are back filled
up to 20 feet below the ground surface.
4. The grouting is done with a concrete mix in the ratio of 1:2:3 of cement sand and gravel
respectively. The gravel size not more than 10-12 mm.(Note: 1inch=25.4mm)

A.4.7. Profile of expected tube-well

Note: These 2 diagrams are indicative, and details should be followed in the narrative of the
technical specification.

Annex 5 - Construction/Installation of small-scale water infrastructure in the Dry Zone of Myanmar (Shwebo, Monywa,
Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)
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Shallow Tubewell (STW)

Lithological section
Drilling in 6"
and casing in 4" 0
Soil
Cementing 20 ft
Superficial alluvial
40 ft cover

60 ft

water strike
Casing and strainer PVC 4"
Irrawaddy
Gravel 1-3mm formation

Decantation tube (10 ft)

and botton bouchond

Annex 5 - Construction/Installation of small-scale water infrastructure in the Dry Zone of Myanmar (Shwebo, Monywa,
Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)
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Deep Tubewell (DTW)

Lithological section
0
Soil
Cementing on 20 ft 10 ft
Superficial alluvial
20 ft cover

Irrawaddy
Drilling in 6" formation

Casing in 4"
Miocene
sandstone

Oligocene
clayed sands

Gravel 1-3 mm Eocene

Sandstone

Cambrian and
Precambrian
Decantation tube (10ft) Metamorphic rock
and bottom bouchond 600ft
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Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)
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A.5. Tube-well development

On completion of drilling, the Implementing partner will choose a suitable and appropriate
tube-well development method. The tube-well shall be developed for a period of one hour
in order to obtain a maximum yield of water that is free of suspended matter. Developing
shall be carried out by airlift pumping and surging, jetting and block surging, or other
techniques the implementing partner feels is more appropriate and efficient to suit the
hydro-geological and drilling conditions prevailing in that tube-well. All tube-wells shall be
presented for testing free of any bridging or obstruction to the total depth.

A.6. Pumping and recovery test

1. Pumping test will be for three hours for step draw down test at 0.25, 0.5 and 1 gps. Based
on the estimated discharge, the Implementing partner will certify the tube-well as either
"successful" or "lost".
2. The minimum discharge is 0.1 gps. Annex 10 show the formats for recording pump test
data. If the discharge is below 0.1 gps then the tube-well will be regarded as "Lost".
3. The Implementing partner shall have on the site a 900 V-notch weir, preceded by a tank
with baffles, for the measurement of flows. Small flow (less than 0.25 liters/second) can
be measured by timing the filling of a vessel of known volume. The Implementing partner
shall also have on site an operating electric dip meter, calibrated in centimeters, and with
visual/audible indicator of when the water level is reached.
4. Readings of flow and water level shall be taken at the intervals defined on the test
pumping form. For accurate measurement, an electrical/ sonic water level indicator
with graduated tape for taking water level readings. Recovery readings shall be taken
for a minimum of 1 hour, during which period airlifting or pumping equipment shall
not be removed from the tube-well.
(Note : 1 litres/second=0.3 gal/second)

A.7. Water quality testing

Quality analysis for arsenic should be applied for every borehole.

A.8. Sampling and drill-time-logs

Representative samples of the strata intersected shall be collected every three feet or less
depending on the changes of geological formation. For collection, the Implementing partner
shall cease drilling, circulate all cuttings to the surface, resume drilling and collect the
cuttings then brought to the surface. The Implementing partner shall take every possible
precaution to guard against sample contamination due to poor circulation, tube-well
erosion, or caving. Cutting samples shall be bagged, labelled with tube-well depth at time of
collection, and stored in a position where they will not be contaminated by site conditions or
drilling operations. The Implementing partner shall supply strong, transparent sample bags
and labels as required. The driller in-charge will also record the drill time logs/penetration
rate of each rod or at every three-meter interval. A sample of Lithological log with drill time
log is shown in Annex 10

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A.9. Chlorination after tube-well completion

Each successful tube-well must be chlorinated following completion. The Implementing
partner will decide on the concentration of chlorine based on the volume of water in the
tube-well.

A.10. Straightness and verticality test

1. All tube-wells shall be drilled and cased straight and vertical and all casings and screens
shall be set round, plumb and true to line. Any delays encountered in running casing and
screen considered to be due to poor whole alignment shall be at the Implementing
partner's expense.
2. The Supervision Firm may ask the Implementing partner to perform random tests for
straightness and verticality alignment after completion of the well and before its
acceptance. The Implementing partner shall provide the necessary 40 feet section of pipe
(The plumb), not more than 15 millimeters diameter less than the inside diameter of the
casing. Should the plumb fail to move freely throughout the length of the casing to the
required depth or should the well vary from the vertical in excess of two-thirds of the
smallest inside diameter of part of the tube-well being tested per 30 meters of depth, the
verticality and straightness of the well shall be corrected by the Implementing partner at
his own expense. Should the Implementing partner fail to correct such faulty
straightness or verticality, the Supervision Firm may refuse to accept the tube-well and
no payment for those Works and materials used.
(Note: 1inch=25.4mm)

A.11. Protection
During the term of the contract, when the work is not in progress, the tube-wells must be closed
in order to prevent the entry of any material. The implementing partner shall remove any
unrelated material at its own expense. On completion of each tube-well, the Implementing
partner shall supply and fit an approved permanent lock-up cap.
Raised casings can be completed at not less than 0.5 meters above the ground level and should
be fitted with approved lock-up cap.

A.12. Abandonment

The Supervision Firm shall have the right at any time during the progress of the Works to order
the abandonment of the tube-well. The Implementing partner shall there upon remove the
drilling rig, withdraw any casing and screen and salvage all such materials as the Supervision Firm
orders. Therefore, the Implementing partner should fill back and leave the tube-well to the
satisfaction of the Supervision Firm. (Note: 1inch=25.4mm)

A.13. « Lost » (unsuccessful) tube-wells

"Lost" tube-wells are either "dry" tube-wells or "uncompleted" tube-wells.

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13.1 Dry tube-wells

Dry tube-wells are defined as:

· A tube-well having no water bearing zones/aquifers.
· A Tube-well that has insufficient discharge (less than 0.025 gallons/second) for 6 hours
of continuous pumping test.
· Hand pump facility is unable to provide discharge of 0.025 gallons per second. The hand
pump installed on such tube-well is unable to sustain continuous use by the
communities throughout the day.
This situation may happen with time within the maintenance period because of one or
more constructional defects such as ruptured / cracked casing, sections of tube-wells
collapsed, heavy silting closing the screen, screen chocked; lowering the discharge, or
poor sitting of tube-well with no potential sustainable aquifers, drilling up to insufficient
depths to tap potential sustainable aquifer.
In the above case, the Implementing partner shall either improve the discharge by
appropriate well development methods or if the dynamic water level is less than 40m,
lower the pump inlet with additional riser pipes and connecting rods. In the case of any
remedial works not being effective, the Implementing partner shall drill a new tube-well
at an alternative site mutually agreed with the Water Point Committee and the
Implementing partner. If, after investigations, the Implementing partner feels that there
are no possibilities of drilling a successful tube-well in the village/ community, then the
Implementing partner has the right to ask for classify the borehole as dry and to a move
to a new location. This however, can be accepted after two failed tube-well attempts.

A.13.1. Uncompleted tube-wells

If for any technical reasons the implementing partner is unable to continue drilling and
complete the construction of tube-well, then this tube-well is deemed to be an “uncompleted
“tube-well. This may be because of: accident to the drilling rig, difficult drilling conditions or
formations unsuitable for the drilling method or rig type used; heavy loss of air pressure or
drilling fluids; loss of drilling bit or part of drill stem.

In case of ‘"uncompleted" tube-wells, no payment shall be made for that tube-well either for
drilling or materials that cannot be salvaged and the rig's unproductive time spent. If the
Implementing partner chooses to deviate from standard procedure and the agreed method of
drilling, and wishes to adopt any other procedure or techniques that involves any additional
cost and time required it will be done so entirely at the Implementing partner's own risk and
cost.

A.14. Test of acceptability and reports

1. Subject to meeting the requirements of the maintenance period, the tube-well shall be
accepted for payment on presentation of the following reports at schedules shown in
the table below and sample of the formats given in the annexes:

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Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)
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NAME DESCRIPTION FREQUENCY

1. Pre-execution This report indicate all data about the work At least one week
report (could be per to implement (location, drawings, the rig before site
site) tools to be used intervention

6. Certificate of This certificate of Completion will comprise: At least 2 weeks

Completion of
drilling activities
after drilling
- Strata log activities
- Pumping tests interpretation results completion
- Construction log showing casing and all
installation for the tube-well
- Result of the quality analysis

7. Certificate of This certificate of Completion will comprise: At least 2 weeks

Completion of civil after civil work
work and - Drawings of the constructions and
electromechanic completed electromechanic
activities - All documents on the material installed activities
completion

All reports can be delivered on electronic copy.

Annex 5 - Construction/Installation of small-scale water infrastructure in the Dry Zone of Myanmar (Shwebo, Monywa,
Myingyan, Nyaung U and Chauk)