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Army Civil Affairs investigates Ribta village Well

U.S. Army Maj. Michael Ahrens, 404th Civil Affairs Functional Specialty team, environmental health scientst collects well water to test at the Ribta village in the Tadjoura region Djibouti, Sept. 13, 2018. The remoteness of the village causes the villagers to rely on the well as a primary water source, but with its contamination, they have to travel kilometers to draw water. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson)

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Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson 

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Army Civil Affairs investigates Ribta village Well

Ribta is located in a small valley in the mountains of the Tadjoura region, far from any city and public water systems; the villagers there rely on well water for drinking and watering their crops.

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Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson 

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Army Civil Affairs investigates Ribta village Well

U.S. Army Maj. Michael Ahrens, 404th Civil Affairs Functional Specialty team, environmental health scientist, examines the Ribta village well in Tadjoura region Djibouti, Sept. 13, 2018. The remoteness of the village causes the villagers to rely on the well as a primary water source, but with its contamination, they have to travel kilometers to draw water. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson)

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Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson 

Soldiers from the 404th Civil Affairs Battalion traveled from Camp Lemonnier to Ribta, a village in Northern Djibouti, to examine the village’s well on Sept. 13. 

Ribta is located in a small valley in the mountains of the Tadjoura region, far from any city and public water systems; the villagers there rely on well water for drinking and watering their crops.

“The well’s been giving them trouble only recently, making them vomit and have diarrhea when they drink it,” said U.S. Army Capt. Mark Olving, Team Leader, Civil Affairs Team 305, 404th Battalion. “It’s made life difficult. People have left Ribta to go to other villages for water, kilometers away.”

U.S. Army Maj. Michael Ahrens, 404th Civil Affairs Functional Specialty team, environmental health scientist, attended the trip to test the well water with a portable colorimeter and a portable spectrophotometer.

“We test for specific things,” said Ahrens. “Nitrates, nitrites, sulfates, copper, coliforms and E. coli. We may be able to determine what is causing the gastrointestinal issues by testing for common well contaminants.”

Ahrens ran the well water through various tests, which took a day to complete. The coliform levels were incredibly high; however, no E. coli was present in the water. Other contaminates that would be capable of causing sickness were also high, indicating that the well would have to be drained and cleaned.

With this information, the team is working with local officials to consider treatment so the well may once again provide drinkable water to Ribta village.