Innovative Water Pump for Villages

Study Notes

Researchers from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, developed a low-cost, shallow-well pump for developing countries.
The pump was designed to be durable, affordable, maintainable, and manufactured locally.
The pump was inspired by a traditional hand-operated water pumps used by the Mennonite community in southern Ontario.
The pump uses PVC tubing, which is inexpensive, readily available, and rust-resistant.
Over 11,000 pumps are being used in 13 developing nations.
The pump design can be adapted to local conditions. For example, in Sri Lanka, a leather washer is used instead of a plastic one, and in Malawi, the spigot is made of black metal to prevent hyenas from chewing it.
This invention has brought clean drinking water to many villages in developing countries.

Two Canadian scientists, Alan Plumtree and Alfred Rudin, invented a reliable hand-operated water pump in 1978.
The pump's design met specific criteria for developing countries:
- Durable enough for 18 hours of continuous use.
- Affordable for people in poorer countries.
- Simple enough for villagers to maintain and repair.
- Designed for local manufacturing to create jobs and ensure the availability of spare parts.
This exemplifies how science and technology can be used to solve real-world problems.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo, Ontario developed a low-cost, shallow well pump that is easily used in developing countries.
The invention was inspired by a hand-operated water pump used by a Mennonite community in southern Ontario.
The pump was designed to be durable, affordable, simple to maintain and repair, and manufacturable in developing countries.
The new pump incorporated polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing instead of traditional iron and steel.
PVC is inexpensive, readily available worldwide, and rust-resistant.
Over 11,000 pumps are being used in 13 developing nations.
The pump design has been modified for local conditions, like using a leather washer in Sri Lanka and a black metal spigot in Malawi.

Alan Plumtree and Alfred Rudin invented a reliable hand-operated water pump in 1978.
The pump was designed to meet specific criteria for developing countries, including durability, affordability, simplicity, and local manufacturing.

The basic pump design can be modified for local conditions, like using a leather washer in Sri Lanka or a black metal spigot in Malawi.
Modifications are made to suit the local resources and needs of the communities.