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The case for the rope-pump in Africa: a comparative performance analysis
1Water, Engineering and Development Centre, Institute of Development Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK. P.A.Harvey@lboro.ac.uk
Journal of Water and Health
|December 21, 2006
Summary
Locally manufactured rope-pumps offer a sustainable alternative to conventional handpumps for rural water supplies in sub-Saharan Africa. Contrary to fears, rope-pumps do not compromise water quality and outperform handpumps in most aspects.
Area of Science:
- Water resource engineering
- Public health
- Rural development
Background:
- Conventional handpumps are prevalent in rural sub-Saharan Africa but often fail due to maintenance issues.
- Locally manufactured rope-pumps are cheaper and easier to maintain but have faced skepticism regarding water quality.
Observation:
- A study in northern Ghana compared rope-pumps and conventional handpumps.
- Methods included user interviews, sanitary surveys, water quality analysis, and technical performance measurements.
Findings:
- Rope-pumps outperformed conventional handpumps on most performance metrics.
- No significant difference in microbiological water quality impact was observed between the two pump types.
Implications:
- Rope-pumps present a viable and sustainable technological solution for improving community water supplies across sub-Saharan Africa.
- Addressing maintenance capacity is crucial for long-term water supply sustainability.
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