The rope pump, 40 years experience

The rope pump is an ancient technology that, with new materials and designs, now is a very effective
and low cost pump option*. They are used by families and small communities, can be produced with
local materials by metal workshops, and are easy to repair because of the simplicity and availability of
spares. Compared to other low cost hand pumps, the rope pump has a high pump capacity, can pump
from shallow to very deep hand dug wells or boreholes. It can be produced in any country, is low cost
and very simple (no black box. If properly produced, installed and maintained, over !"# stay working,
even many years after installation.**
$fter improvements in %!&"'s by the (utch organi)ation (emotech, this pump model was
disseminated via organi)ations like IT(* who published the book +,ow to make a rope and washer
pump-. The pump was introduced in $frica but never really took of. It was not until %!!" that the pump
became successful in .icaragua where there now are over &".""". The reason for this success are (a
technical improvements so the pump became more effective and attractive (b the private sector. The
pump became a commercial product which was essential for scaling up and profit based sustainability.
In .icaragua the shift from importing piston pumps to locally produced rope pumps was a cost
reduction of rural water points by /"#. 0ome 1"# of the pumps are used for communal wells and the
rest for self supply (domestic use, cattle watering, small scale irrigation. The effect of the pumps at
family level is that total accumulated income increased in the last twelve years with %"" 2illion 304
due to increased family incomes***. $fter .icaragua, the technology again spread out and there now
are %%",""" rope pumps worldwide in more than 5" countries used by some 6 million people
If rope pumps are so good, why arent they used widely ?
0ome mayor reasons are7
Lack of awareness. 8rgani)ations, governments often do not know the rope pump or do not have
updated information on models and good strategies so do not include them in development plans. It
takes publicity and demonstration in real situations to convince stakeholders. This pump also has the
image of a +stone age- solution. This may be the result of 6" years ago when it was introduced in
$frica as a low lift, do it yourself pump only fit for shallow family wells. 0ometimes rope pumps does
not count as an improved water source since it is +open- and the well can be contaminated.
9xperiences indicate that these assumptions are not correct. :or scaling up a critical mass has to be
reached. This re;uires training facilities in each country via water training centers (02$<T Centres.
9ventually this technology should become part of curriculums of vocational training.
imple is not easy. Conditions for sustainability are repara!ility and ownership. =hatever pump is
installed, the users should be able to manage the maintenance, repairs and replacement. <egarding
technology, the rope pumps seems, and is simple but many errors are being made in the construction
and installation. $ hard lesson learnt there is -0imple is not easy- and in technology +the devil is in the
detail-. :or instance a small error in a bushing can cause the pump handle to break within months. If it
is made and maintained right, a metal pump bushing can last for 1" years as proven in .icaragua.
$lso regarding scaling up a good strategy is essential. The introduction of the rope pump in 9thiopia
is an example. $fter first introduction and training of private sector, many metal workshops copied the
pump, made +improvements- or reduced cost by using thin walled pipes for the pumps structure. This
caused pumps to break. =rong installation of pumps results in water leaking back into the well
causing recontamination. The general result of these problems is a bad image of the rope pump and it
takes many good pumps to +repair- a bad image.
Lack of payment options. :or communities or families that can not pay in one time payment options
are needed like micro credits.
"onclusion. The rope pump has high potential to scale up access to an improved water source
(2(*&, reduce poverty and increase food security (2(*%. This pump can improve open wells (5 to
> million in $frica and be installed on new wells or boreholes. $ condition in all cases is? ?;uality.
*ood ;uality re;uires demonstration, training, long term follow up, certification, marketing etc.
* Info on rope pumps, see booklet Smart Water Solutions published by .etherlands =ater @artnership
www.nwp.nl , www.AITpublischers.nl websites www.akvo.org www.connectinternational.nl
www.practicafoundation.nl www.ropepumps.org , www.ropepump.com
,and rope pumps can pump from wells of 5> m deep (/" m with a double handle, %"" motorised models
** 9valuation of the .icaraguan rope pump, I<C 1""%. 9valuation *eodata, =ater aid Tan)ania 8ct. 1"%"
*** Based on field survey with >""" families. ICI(<IC ICC8 CCesade %!!D www.ropepumps.org
$uthor ,enk ,oltslag. $dvisor low cost technologies with 11 years rope pump experience