Gêgžâ Well

A Gêgžâ Well is a device used for storing and dispensing rainwater commonly found in Hapšâw'l homes, especially in the interior of the island. Due to the lack of major rivers on Hapšâw it (alongside desalinating seawater) is the main way for residents to obtain drinking water.

Design

A trough is placed at the edge of a building's roof, which feeds into a series of pipes containing sieves, sand and gravel. The filtered water is then collected inside a large underground container made of concrete or stone. The container is accessible by a hatch on top.

Prevalence

Due to Hapšâw's year round rains gêgžâ wells are found in most homes in the interior of Hapšâw, and are common in the two cities. They can be seen on some buildings in the smaller seaside towns, but desalination practices are more common in those areas.

Use

A bucket is lowered down through the hatch. If the water is meant for drinking it is usually boiled before doing so. Winters on Hapšâw aren't usually cold enough for a layer of snow to form on the roof, however during the night a layer of ice may form on top of the water stored inside the well. A long hammer is usually used to create a hole and access the water, tho some may resort to throwing rocks at the ice instead.

Trivia

the word Gêgžâ is of Newmen origin. Іt's original form was closer to ekegâžâ, which in modern Hapšâw'l would have evolved into gegžâ. However due to it's similarity to the Hapšâw'l subject noun form it was reïnterpreted as the subject noun of the root g-g-ž, which was given the meaning of "to filter".