In 2010, a remote village community in Haiti reported problems with their pump. Pastor Job had to drive down the mountain on his motorcycle to alert us, and the Lifewater team had to come the next day with their truck, crew, and supplies.
Assessment of the pump indicated no major issues, and routine maintenance was performed. The following day, Job again showed up and said the pump was still giving trouble. The team went back the next day, removed the pump head and pump rod and checked the plunger assembly and sealing rings. The pump was re-assembled, tested, and pumped water. The team went home.
The next day Job showed up yet again. The team returned one more time and this time removed the entire pump, even cutting and pulling out the rising main, cylinder, and associated foot valve. When the last piece of rising main was pulled out of the well, they turned it upside down . . . and out fell a long piece of metal! One of the village mothers shouted “THERE is my missing spoon!”
Confession time followed, revealing that her son Samuel and his friend Josue had been playing with the pump. Josue lifted the pump handle all the way up, exposing a small slot by the bearing. It took some effort, but Samuel managed to push a spoon all the way until it fell inside the pump.
Over the course of a few days, the spoon gradually worked its way down the rising main until it reached the bottom of the well. There it became stuck in the foot valve, causing it to be jammed in the “open” position. With vigorous pumping, the spoon would sometimes float up — releasing the valve and allowing the pump to operate normally. But then the spoon would sink and jam the foot valve open again.
Over time, the spoon bowl broke off, leaving a jagged metal tip on the handle. This rubbed up and down against the pump cylinder, scratching it beyond repair.
Five minutes of children’s play caused two weeks of water disruption for an entire community. A $5 lock would have prevented a $1 spoon from requiring more than $300 in labour, fuel and pump parts. The entire experience underlined again for us the importance of having wells and pumps securely locked when not needed for community use.
