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I am back in Afghanistan again at present and I would suggest that much of questions "1" and "2" might be answered by reference to the widely used "Blue Book" for community water and sanitation (handpumps and Afghan type vault and pit latrines). The document is widely distributed and used in Afghanistan in English, Dari and Pashto and has pump assembly instructions and spares etc for the widely used AFRIDEV. It also has bills of quantity and technical details plus drawings for wells and latrines. The correct name of the blue book is .....

Community Handpump Water Supply and Sanitation Guide for Afghanistan, Water and Sanitation Group , Afghanistan 1999, UNICEF Afghanistan

In my experience septic tanks are not widely used in Afghanistan due to: 1.) terrain 2.) difficulty of digging in rock 3.) the vault type allows the faecal material to be used for composting - indeed it is so valuable locals put locks on the vaults to stop it being stolen, and I know of schools where neighbours buy the material from the latrine vault.

All this is covered in the "Blue Book" and pretty well any local NGO will be familiar with it .... I have worked in 10 provinces and I think in most places the book was known, including in the East at Nangahar, and also in South in Kandahar

Regarding cost the AFRIDEVs and India MK II come standard price for head (above ground mechanism) , the cylinder assembly but costs for and connecting rods, riser pipes and seals are to suit the depth and additional spare parts and tools should also be allowed.

Attached is a matrix I developed for estimating a well programme in Samangan (North Afghanistan) in early 2002. As I recall the basic AFRIDEV unit, if purchased in quantity was about $US 350 per unit at that time

I am not personally very familiar with the India as we normally use the Afradev which is good from about 20 to 45 metres, though they are quite similar. AFRIDEV is frequently used in Afghanistan. Also the type of pump will depend on the depth of the aquifer as the India pumps come as a standard deep well handpump (20 to 45 metres) and also as an extra deepwell handpump (45 to 90 metres). There is also an option type India pump for corrosive well waters

Regards,

Chris