The price of a water well is determined by geography. Paani sources high-grade materials for every project, which means the $200 handpump and the $650 deep well are built to the same standard of durability. What differs between them is the terrain, the depth required to reach clean water, the equipment needed to get there, and the logistics of moving materials into remote provinces. The needs assessment that precedes every build determines which solution fits a given community. The number on the donation page reflects what that solution costs to build correctly.
$200: Handpump, Sindh
Sindh sits on a shallow water table, has flat terrain, and benefits from direct access to materials through the ports in Karachi. A handpump reaches groundwater at 40 to 50 feet, serves around 50 people, and can be installed in a single day. Brick casing reinforces the bore, a cement slab seals the surface, and the manual pump mechanism requires no electricity to operate. Local community members are trained on maintenance from the start, which means the well functions independently of any outside support for years after installation.
For scattered rural communities where groundwater is clean and accessible, this is the most efficient form of water access that exists. Families that previously walked two to three kilometers to reach a contaminated source now have clean water within their village.
$600: Deep Well, Sindh
In parts of Sindh the shallow water table carries contamination that a handpump cannot filter out. In these areas the well needs to reach 70 to 100 feet to access a safe aquifer below the contaminated layer. The drilling equipment required for this depth is more specialized, the process takes longer, and the casing and materials are more substantial. The result is a well that serves around 200 people, which reflects both the deeper groundwater reach and the larger communities that typically require this solution.
$650: Deep Well, KPK
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa presents a different set of conditions entirely. The province is mountainous, the water basin sits significantly deeper than in Sindh, and drilling through rocky terrain requires more time and more specialized equipment than flat alluvial soil. Materials also cannot be sourced through Karachi. They are transported from other parts of Pakistan, which adds meaningful logistical cost to every project.
The $50 difference between a KPK deep well and a Sindh deep well is a direct reflection of those conditions. Construction standards are identical. A deep well in KPK reaches around 150 feet and serves between 100 and 250 people depending on the size of the village.
$15,000: Solar Water Center, Tharparkar
Tharparkar is one of the driest regions in Pakistan. Conventional wells at standard depths cannot reliably serve a population at scale in desert conditions, and any powered solution that depends on the electricity grid or fuel is subject to supply disruptions that make it unsustainable long term. A solar water center is built specifically for these conditions.
The system uses a high-flow solar-powered motor to pull water from depth, stores it in an overhead tank, and distributes running water through a gravity-fed network. One installation serves up to 1,600 people and 1,000 livestock. The solar panels also generate electricity that is fed directly to local schools. Because the system runs entirely on sunlight, there are no ongoing fuel costs and no dependency on external infrastructure. The $15,000 price point covers the solar equipment, the motor, the storage and distribution system, and full installation by Paani's ground team.
This is not a more expensive version of a well. It is a different category of infrastructure built for a place where the standard approach cannot deliver the same result.
What every project has in common
Regardless of which well type a community receives, every project goes through the same process. Paani's ground team conducts a full needs assessment before construction begins, assigns the right solution for the specific conditions, and documents the build from start to finish. When the project is complete, donors receive a named plaque installed at the site, more than 20 photos covering the full construction process, a video, and a complete impact report. The dollar amount reflects the geography. Everything else stays the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I fund multiple handpumps or one deep well?
It depends on your goal. Multiple handpumps spread impact across more communities while a deep well concentrates it in one place and reaches a cleaner water source where the shallow table is not suitable. Both are valid. If you are unsure, reach out to [email protected] and we can point you toward what is most needed right now.
My impact report shows fewer beneficiaries than I expected. Why?
Impact reports distinguish between direct beneficiaries, the households with primary access to the well, and community beneficiaries, the broader population that draws from the same source. Both groups are served. The direct count simply reflects those within the immediate service radius.
What if I want to donate in honor of someone?
Every well comes with a named plaque installed at the site. You can dedicate your well to a person, a family, or any name you choose. A photo of the installed plaque is included in your completion report.
How long does it take?
All projects are completed within 90 to 120 days of your donation being received.
Can I visit the well after it is built?
Yes. Once your project is complete we can coordinate a visit through our ground team in Pakistan. Reach out to [email protected] after you receive your completion report.
Do you build wells outside of Pakistan?
Currently all of Paani's water projects are in Pakistan across Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Tharparkar. We are evaluating expansion but have no active projects outside Pakistan at this time.