Ground Water Perspective
Here at the well site, where we are collecting valid data to serve you better, we have time to think. Then we write it down for your benefit. Check here on occasion to see what we here at Ground Water Science have to say about various things; wells, ground water, the world... from that underground point of view. We also invite you to take a look at our Ground Water Science page on Facebook where we post news, links, and comments of interest, and attempt to engage in dialog.
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- Written by Stu Smith
A distinctly Tanzanian extension of Ground Water Science’s worldwide experience. 
We would like to announce the formation of a new company (now deep into projects!), Ground+Water Tanzania, Limited. G+WT has been established by Ground Water Science partner Stuart Smith and our colleague, Mr. Naftal Mandi, MPH, MBA, as a legally registered limited-liability company in Tanzania. The new company is not a subsidiary or office of Ground Water Science as such but obviously shares some DNA and is modeling our customary care and professionalism in the East African market, where water and sanitation development are proceeding rapidly, but unevenly. We are open for business and managing projects.
G+WT partner Naftal brings his public health and business education to water and sanitation planning, as well as his teaching and leadership experience at St. Johns University in Dodoma. During his USA undergraduate education time (Bowling Green State University in Ohio), he also gained laboratory, quality control, and fund management experience. Back in Tanzania, he has managed self-improvement business investment accounts and invested in the education of others. He is multilingual like many Tanzanians, and also brings his entrepreneurship (he has been involved in several businesses) and commitment to excellence to the new venture. He is a quick study of all aspects of water project planning and management.
We also employ geologists for geophysical well site surveys and well logging, engineers for design and construction planning, and tradespeople.
Our scope of operations, partnering with professionals and resources in the region.
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- Written by Stu Smith
Our Ground Water Science clientele is largely highly conservative and risk-averse. They like a sure thing and the worst disaster of all is to invest in an asset such as a well and have it turn out nonproductive. This is worse than not trying at all. Such an attitude is 180 degrees different from oil and gas producers, who accept a certain level of risk of failure. In the "oil patch" they do everything they can to mitigate risk (exploration) but sometimes wells are “dry”. The acceptance of risk goes with the fundamental purpose of oil and gas development: to sell product for a profit. The successful of course have done quite well. Sometimes things don’t work out and investors end up wearing barrels, not selling them. A couple of points:
- First, an established water supplier can make money expanding its market with the right vision and good information
- Second, got land? Maybe you have water to market. There is much undeveloped ground-water resource in eastern and western Ohio for example.
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- Written by Stu Smith
Owning and operati
ng a small business is not always easy in this economy. Especially as we provide services that are not always understood to be essential (but can be) and sometimes thought to be available from anyone (definitely not). We need to keep getting the message out about what we do, and keeping up relentlessly with performance and quality. We have financial obligations ourselves.
But it has its rewards. We, the veterans, spend time on the job site and with every client. So we see the situation first hand and we know our clients' hopes and fears. We see it in their eyes. We also get to travel and contribute extensively to a better world. We don't have to ask the stockholders (we are the stockholders) or the home office in France or whatever to do these activities.
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- Written by Stu Smith
We're planning a visit to explore opportunities and building professional and business relationships
The place:
The United Republic of Tanzania is the largest nation in eastern Africa, approximately twice the size of California, situated between 1o and 12o South on the Indian Ocean. Tanzania is a natural economic hub for east Africa, sharing borders and commercial links with eight countries and two trade communities with a combined population of > 300 million people.
Formed 1961-1964 from the British-administered U.N. mandate territory of Tanganyika (former German colonies on the mainland) and coastal Arabic-culture Zanzibar, Tanzania has overcome challenging social conditions (over 120 tribes and evenly divided Moslem and Christian populations), maintaining civil peace and forming a strong sense of national unity. It is an island of peace in a tough neighborhood. It is a peaceful and safe place to travel. Tanzania has rich wildlife and scenic resources that make it an exotic tourism destination. It is the home of Mt. Kilimanjaro (at 5895 m – 19,340 ft – the highest point in Africa), and the big national parks like Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti, and Ruaha are accessible and well run.
Tanzania has a lot of challenges – but also a lot of opportunities for American water and wastewater sector companies (see following). Like South Africa or India before it, the pieces are in place for the nation to have an explosion of economic growth: infrastructure is being developed, and new sources of valuable natural resources discovered. It has a population that knows about and wants the basics of life, including safe and abundant water and proper sanitation. The Government of Tanzania is in the midst of an aggressive program to expand agricultural output and to raise the rural standard of living. This is a nation where Americans are well liked and appreciated, particularly as an alternative to other foreign service providers.
Read more: Exploring Water Opportunities in Tanzania - East Africa: A Working Trip
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- Written by Stu Smith
There is much interest in testing well water to evaluate risk related to oil and gas drilling in our region of the USA. The newer “unconventional” gas and oil development tapping Devonian shale source rocks (Marcellus, Utica, etc.) involves deep and directional drilling, with hydrofracturing (HF) used in completion. Because large volumes (millions of gallons) of water, amended with chemicals, are used in each HF event (often referred to as “fracking”), and because of the risk of penetrating methane-yielding formations, it is widely advised that well owners should conduct relevant testing of the quality of water wells.
Read more: Keeping Track of Actual Risk in Well Water Supplies
Office - Western Ohio
Western Ohio (Main) Office
295 S. Lawn Ave.
Bluffton, OH 45817
419-358-0528
Contact
Office - Appalachian Plateau
Appalachian Plateau Office
22 Edgewater Dr.
Poland, OH 44514
330-787-0496
Contact
Tip of the Day
Well records need not be elaborate and expensive to maintain. A three-ring binder for each well with important documents and service history will do the job. Ground Water Science can help you gather coherent data and make recommendations on records and service information needs.