Roundabout Play Pump

A company in South Africa called "Roundabout Outdoors" has found a way to harness youthful energy in solving the perennial problem of water supply in rural villages. It uses a playground roundabout to power a borehole pump which is called as Roundabout Play Pump. This innovative water pump that doubles as a children's merry-go-round is bringing clean water plus and a better life to thousands of families in South Africa. The company is now hoping to take the concept to other African countries where water infrastructure languishes behind South Africa.

How does a Roundabout Play Pump?
It is a simple idea. It is a positive displacement water pump. As children spin on a merry-go-round, it pumps uncontaminated drinking water from deep below the ground. The water is stored in a tank just a few feet away, making a safe, plentiful supply of water available in the community. A simple tap provides easy access for women and children drawing water. With the children pushing the roundabout around 16 times per minute, the play-pump can produce 1400 liters of water per hour from a depth of 40 metres. The pump is effective up to a depth of 100 metres.

Benefits of Roundabout Play Pump:

• The Roundabout Pump provides health benefits to the community by clean, easily accessible drinking water.
  
  
• It also provides recreation opportunities to the children.
  
  
• The PlayPumps allow the children to spend more time in school instead of hauling water pumped by their parents.
  
  
• It also enables women who formerly had to transport large containers of water over great distances to spend more time at home or engaged in other activities that provide additional food or income to their families.