Simple Pump: The modern hand water pump.Changing basic concepts in Developing Nations.CHANGING THE BASIC CONCEPTS
Our customers in Africa no longer see a single hand pump for a village as necessarily the most economical approach or most effective approach. They have told us that acquiring three of our very reliable pumps, installed into far cheaper-to-drill two-inch wellbores, and with much less costly site prep and spares costs, offer far more benefits, at a lower cost, than one centrally-located high-cost-to-drill large-borehole well. The most obvious benefit is the peace of mind from knowing that if one breaks, water will still be available. A pump placed to service irrigation or watering herds can later be converted later to solar, with nothing more required than a manual and a few tools. The Simple Pump generates 50 psi. So it generates the pressure required for indoor plumbing. Similarly, it can be used to provide the water under pressure required for drip and other sophisticated and frugal water delivery methods. However, to even consider applications like this, the fundamental and long-standing assumption that must change is that hand pumps are inherently unreliable and, once broken, extraordinarily labor-intensive to repair. The “unreliable” paradigm is simply not true. The Simple Pump is enormously better made and is much more reliable than the unreliable pumps most people think are all that is available. Furthermore, “cheap” usually holds many hidden costs (as most people really know, in their own lives). The next page explores, in detail, how the best decision comes from considering ALL cost and risk factors - initial cost PLUS maintenance, parts, labor, and health.
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