Long considered a symbol of development aid,up to 40% of handpumps in sub-Saharan Africa are broken at any one time. Technology is offering smart solutionsOver the past few decades, the humble handpump has become the go-to option for rural water supply in developing countries. They’re used to extract groundwater which is mostly clean, or easy and cheap to access,and available year-round. Handpumps are normally a better option than open wells – which are highly vulnerable to contamination – and piped schemes or motorised pumps, which require the skills, or finances,and management that’s often missing in remote, rural areas. However, or though around 60000 handpumps (pdf) are installed across sub-Saharan Africa every year,typically 30 to 40% of those in the region do not work at any one time, according to estimates made by the Rural Water Supply Network. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com