elephant pump mechanic

watch an elephant pump being constructed

Resources

Now see how much you can remember! There’s a bit of extra information provided below to help you!
Download and print off How to Build an Elephant Pump
Cut each stage of the construction process into separate strips. Either individually or in a group, try to re-order the process to understand how a pump is built.

the elephant pump

The Elephant Pump is adapted from the ancient Chinese rope design.  Its ‘rope and washer’ technology uses locally available materials ensuring its strength and sustainability. Communities in rural areas are provided with access to clean and safe water in a highly cost effective, efficient and sustainable way.

locally made means sustainable

All parts of the ‘Elephant Pump’ are locally manufactured and not imported from outside the country as with other pump solutions. If necessary, the rope can be replaced by any rope that is locally available (even home produced sisal rope will do) and extra washers can be made out of rubber tyres, sacks or even old slippers (!) which are melted down and re-moulded.

the community participates in building their pump

It is not just Pump Aid digging the well and building the pump for the community. The community itself is very much part of building their own pump. To increase the sense of ownership, communities are not only in charge of the normal maintenance of their pump, they also make the bricks for the lining of the well, they get the sand for making the cement and they are actively involved with working on the building of the pump.

cost effective and easy to use

The pump can lift water from as deep as 30m. The location of a well is determined by geological formations and vegetation growth with input made by the water diviners in the Pump Aid team.Wells are dug by hand but Pump Aid teams may need to help to remove rocks and heavily impacted earth. Pump Aid never uses mechanical diggers because it would deprive someone a job and increase cost. In addition as we work in rural and remote locations it would be impossible to bring in machinery.

As the Pump handle is turned, water is drawn up by plastic washers attached to a rope. The Pumps are so easy to use that children as young as five years old can manage to pump out a bucket full of water. The pump can lift water from as deep as 50m and produce 1 litre of water every second.

The Elephant Pump is encased in concrete to prevent any contamination, ensuring that a clean sustainable supply of water is provided for the local community for many years to come.