CWI partnered with Engineering Ministries International (EMI) in Ethiopia in 2015 to provide a water sourcing hydrogeologic investigation to complement their comprehensive services to the non-governmental organization (NGO) JOHEIM. JOHEIM sought the services of EMI to produce a master development plan for a new medical facility in Gattira, Ethiopia. It was JOHEIMs vision to take a holistic approach in delivering people from poverty in this rural village of more than 10,000 people. The vision included several key strategies including a hospital to help keep people from suffering and dying needlessly, improvements to agricultural production,  access to electricity, and providing for clean water. 

CWI mapped portions of the geology in Gattira for the purpose of identifying potential locations for drilling one or more potable water wells. 

CWI implemented geophysical and geological techniques to map and interpret the hydrogeology of the Gattira region. We collected shallow resistivity data to identify the depth to basaltic bedrock and saturated conditions in the subsurface. Vertical electrical soundings (VES) were collected to estimate the depth to the water table in various locations in the village. 

The result of the study indicated that fresh groundwater might be available in shallow phreatic aquifers. Geologic mapping of green vegetation, wetlands, and springs also provided evidence of shallow ground water. The EMI team recommended that shallow wells be tested in the village due to the lower cost and greater likelihood of successful completion. However, because of the significant increase in water demand expected with future development, shallow wells were judged not adequate to meet this demand. A fractured basaltic aquifer was identified as the primary target for a deep well in Gattira. It was estimated that this deep well would need to be drilled to between 100-200 meters in depth. Since there are no deep wells or well logs in or near the project area, the proposed deep well in Gattira would be an exploratory well. 

Drilling an  exploratory well involves risk so CWI also suggested additional resistivity and/or seismic geophysical surveys be completed in the project area prior to the drilling of the exploratory well. A deeper study of the subsurface would provide more detailed information on the optimal location for drilling and reduce the likelihood of drilling a dry hole.