In this era of fast paced technological change where the next phone does more faster and there is an app for everything, hand pump technology hasn’t really changed. For much of the world like rural Haiti where the water supply is a community well, the village hand pump is important technology. In Northwest Haiti the usefulness of wells and hand pumps has been limited by the technical level and durability of the pumping equipment available. Pumps fail often requiring frequent repair and ready access to spare parts. The practical limit of the India Mark II and Afridev hand pumps that are used is 150 feet. India Mark II pumps will work up to 220’ with repair frequency and expense going up proportional to the increase in depth. In an area where ground water is seldom found less than 300’ in depth, a hand pump that could function reliably deeper than 200’- in essence a longer straw, would be of great value.

This year the world of well drilling and rural water supply in Northwest Haiti has been radically changed by the introduction of the LifePump by Design Outreach. This new pumping system uses progressive cavitation to pump water by hand from depths to 330’ or 100 meters.

In March of 2016, two of Design Outreach’s founders and designers joined ODRINO to install the first LifePump in Haiti. This pump design uses rotary motion to turn a gear box on top of the pump. Design innovation and quality materials make the LifePump operate for much longer than conventional pumps and at deeper depths. Some of the first pumps in Africa are currently still operating after two years without any repairs.

ODRINO is the pilot in Haiti. With only 25 of these pumps installed worldwide to date, we are excited to be part of helping implement this cutting edge technology to help us provide safe and abundant water to communities in Northwest Haiti that need it most.