Since the previous rainy season filled up the BIG DIG with a lot of very dirty water, the engineers seemed to be stumped as to how to get the water OUT of the hole. Apparently, they had forgotten that it rains in Nairobi, sometimes quite a lot. So, all the machines were pulled out, the gate, such as it is, was closed, and I think even the guards were let go.
Just before Easter, some representatives of the Nairobi Council came around to inspect. Of course, nothing had happened for months, and they wanted to know why. Since there was no one over at the BIG DIG to ask, they came across the road to our compound, and eventually met with our Health and Safety Officer, André. They wanted to know why the work on the BIG DIG had stopped. André explained that he didn’t know because it wasn’t our hole. This was a most unsatisfactory answer, and the Council members went off in a huff.
A week ago Friday, something started happening over there again. A large truck with what appeared to be a generator on the back and long poles across the top backed into the lower gate of the hole, and proceeded to settle in. Shortly, we realized they were digging a borehole (a well). It seems the dirty water in the hole was not what they wanted, so they dug a well to supply them with a regular stream of perhaps cleaner water.
The racket was horrible! Once again, they were banging through rock, and every now and then, the equipment would emit a prolonged, high-pitched scream as if it were in great agony! Steam would shoot out in great clouds.
There was supposed to be a course going on in the building on that side of our compound. They had to evacuate to another location because they just couldn’t hear each other. The noise went on all week, and we wondered how deep they would have to drill before they really hit water. The answer seems to be about a week. Today, Sunday, I noticed the equipment was all gone.
So, what will be the next change? They have yet to figure out what to do with the shallow lake, and the rainy season is here again. Perhaps a sump pump will be discovered, and they will suck out the water. But then what? Last time they poured it into the sewer system or let it run down the hill! We wait with earplugs close at hand.
Just before Easter, some representatives of the Nairobi Council came around to inspect. Of course, nothing had happened for months, and they wanted to know why. Since there was no one over at the BIG DIG to ask, they came across the road to our compound, and eventually met with our Health and Safety Officer, André. They wanted to know why the work on the BIG DIG had stopped. André explained that he didn’t know because it wasn’t our hole. This was a most unsatisfactory answer, and the Council members went off in a huff.
A week ago Friday, something started happening over there again. A large truck with what appeared to be a generator on the back and long poles across the top backed into the lower gate of the hole, and proceeded to settle in. Shortly, we realized they were digging a borehole (a well). It seems the dirty water in the hole was not what they wanted, so they dug a well to supply them with a regular stream of perhaps cleaner water.
The racket was horrible! Once again, they were banging through rock, and every now and then, the equipment would emit a prolonged, high-pitched scream as if it were in great agony! Steam would shoot out in great clouds.
There was supposed to be a course going on in the building on that side of our compound. They had to evacuate to another location because they just couldn’t hear each other. The noise went on all week, and we wondered how deep they would have to drill before they really hit water. The answer seems to be about a week. Today, Sunday, I noticed the equipment was all gone.
So, what will be the next change? They have yet to figure out what to do with the shallow lake, and the rainy season is here again. Perhaps a sump pump will be discovered, and they will suck out the water. But then what? Last time they poured it into the sewer system or let it run down the hill! We wait with earplugs close at hand.
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