{"id":236116,"date":"2024-09-25T11:00:41","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T15:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewaterproject.org\/community\/?p=236116"},"modified":"2024-09-25T11:01:24","modified_gmt":"2024-09-25T15:01:24","slug":"what-is-a-scoop-hole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewaterproject.org\/community\/2024\/09\/25\/what-is-a-scoop-hole\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a scoop hole?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Scoop holes are common where The Water Project works in sub-Saharan Africa, but other parts of the world will likely never have heard of one. Although you can infer a lot from the name itself, it doesn\u2019t tell the whole story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A scoop hole is a shallow hole dug down into the ground to access water just beneath the ground\u2019s surface. People dig these holes in arid or semi-arid climates when there are no other water options, or when their usual water sources disappear along with the rains<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Small scoop holes dug in Museesu Community<\/a> in Southeast Kenya.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Scoop holes range in size depending on how long it takes to reach water. Scoop holes also expand as the dry season drags on due to a combination of erosion and further digging.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Annastacia from Museesu Community<\/a> in Southeast Kenya collects water from a relatively deep scoop hole.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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As you can imagine, the water people extract from these holes is highly contaminated, being exposed to the elements \u2014 and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The water in our school is unclean and contaminated because it is acquired from scoop holes that are prone to animal and human contamination,\u201d said 13-year-old Cynthia M. from Katse Primary School<\/a> in Southeast Kenya, which is still raising funds to build its own rainwater harvesting tank. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Students from Katse Primary School collect water from a scoop hole in a dry riverbed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\u201cI have been sick several times during this term due to stomach upsets caused by drinking the contaminated water,\u201d Cynthia continued. \u201cI [am] usually forced to stay at home and seek treatment, forcing me to miss class lessons. I have to bear with the thirst during most days in school because there is little or no water in the school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many reasons why drinking water found in scoop holes could expose people to water-related diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n