Section 13

Bush Handpump Overview

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• Make a bush pump (Appendix K)
  
  
• Bush Pump Installation (Section 14)
  
  
• Bush pump Maintenance (Section 17)
  
  
• More Bush pump info. (Rural Water Supply Network)
  
  

Advantages of using the Bush Pump

Over the past decade or two, the bush pump has become the world's most robust and widely used locally made handpump. Benefits of this hand pump include: create desperately needed local jobs; low cost; maintenance - what's locally built can be locally repaired; removable parts have minimal resale value (an important consideration where expensive imported pumps are looted).

Because the Bush pump is locally made, it has also picked-up many different names. Besides being called a modified Guinea-Bissau Pump, it is also called:

• POV-RO 2000 Pump (Nepal)
• Zimbabwe hand pump (Zimbabwe)
• Bush Pump (Liberia)

These pumps have several key common Design Specifications:

• Wood Block Bearing: Usually three pieces of 5.08 x 15.24 cm (2 x 6 in) wood are laminated together to form the pivot bearing. An extra set of 2 holes is drilled in the block so that when the holes wear significantly over time, the block can be quickly rotated and the bolts inserted into the new holes.
• Pump or Pivot Support: A single strong pipe or a frame made of angle iron is embedded into concrete and used as the pivot support for the wood bearing.
• Outlet Pipe Assembly: An outlet pipe assembly made from local plumbing supplies rests on-top of the well casing cap or protective casing cover.

Deciding to use the Bush pump

When deciding whether or not to use a bush pump in a particular community, it is important to consider the following factors: What is the projected use? In general, the bush pump is suitable for use in communities of up to 500 people. Where there are significantly more people, either a second well should be drilled or another handpump chosen (such as the Afridev hand pump, India Mark II, Kardia hand pump or Vergnet hand pump); What is the availability and cost of other hand pumps? In some countries, handpump use has been standardized to one or two types which are widely available at low cost. If this is the case and parts and trained repair people are locally available, the advantages of using these hand pumps will normally outweigh the benefits of introducing the bush pump. What is the pumping level? Bush pumps can be used for depths up to 100 metres. Pumping ease is maintained by counter-balancing the weight of the water column by putting concrete or sand inside the hollow pump handle.