Hand drilling a well by hand is affordable, quick, and uses local resources. But in many areas, it’s not possible due to low water yield. A new method developed by Wolfgang Buchner addresses this issue, allowing hand-drilled wells to be installed in more locations.
Hand-drilled wells are usually small in diameter, which creates problems in soils that don’t allow water to flow easily, like clay or mica-rich soils. The small diameter limits the surface area through which water can enter, and the well’s filter screen often clogs with fine particles, leading to slow refilling; the well is pumped dry quickly.

In these soils, hand-dug wells have traditionally been used, as their larger diameter provides better flow. However, digging is a lot slower and dangerous work. Buchner’s method solves these issues and makes manual drilling feasible, even in challenging soils.
Here’s how it works: After drilling, a temporary casing—a pipe with large side slots and an open bottom—is installed. Water is pumped out, flushing fine particles that would otherwise clog the filter. Once the water runs clear, a permanent, slightly smaller casing with a filter is installed inside the temporary one. The temporary casing is then removed for reuse.

This approach cleans the surrounding soil of small particles and effectively increases the well’s diameter, combining the benefits of a small-diameter well with the water yield of a larger one. Best of both worlds!
To learn more about the method, have a look at the video: