Hand pumps are readily replacing the
conventional use of wells to provide a simple solution for providing hygienic
supply of drinking water in rural and suburban environments. They improve the
hygienic conditions under which water is drawn off, by eliminating the use of
buckets and open vessels, thereby eliminating to a great extent the risk of
water contamination.
The Afridev hand pump is one of the few
recommended by UNICEF as pumps benefiting from its VLOM (Village Level
Operation and Management of maintenance) label, in other words, robust pumps
that can be fully maintained locally, either by the community members
themselves or by a technician that they can call out quickly, and which are
also produced locally and selected, managed and maintained by the community. It
is designed for heavy duty use, with a conventional lever action that can serve
communities of up to 300 people. Its maximum recommended lift is 45m and the
pump is fully corrosion resistant, the bearing bushes being hot dip galvanized
and made of special plastics. Alternative stainless steel lined cylinders are
also available for aggressive water conditions apart from the mild steel
variant. The pump comes with variable handle settings, which makes it possible
to adapt to varying ground water levels at different times. The spout length
and pedestal can be customized according to different needs. The assembling and
dismantling of the parts is quite effortless since the foot valve fitted on to
the pump can be easily retracted using a fishing tool. Rubber centralisers are
provided to each connecting rod to prevent internal damage to uPVC pipes, due
to corrosion. 225 mm stroke length of the handle in afridev hand pump can
provide a water discharge of 1350 litres per hour with an installation depth
range between 15 m to 45 m. These hand pumps have quick release eye & hook
tool-less ends on connecting rods with rubber centralizers facilitate
maintenance and protect the riser pipe against internal wear. Special tools and guided installation manuals
are also available with the afridev hand pumps, which makes the assembling and
installation very easy. Fulcrum & Rod hanger pins are supported on special
grade plastic Bush Bearings, which are easily replaceable. The uPVC riser pipe,
cylinder, plunger & foot valves used in the pump are light weight and
inexpensive. Additionally, rubber centralisers are provided to each uPVC pipe
to prevent external damage, which further lowers the maintenance and
operational costs.
Afridev
hand pumps manufactured at AakashInternational have a few special features that distinguish them from other
pumps available in the market. A choice of Eye & hook connecting rod or
threaded connecting rod is provided. They are easy to instate and can be
accomplished even by women mechanics in villages. Additionally, quick release
Eye & Hook tool-less ends on Connecting Rods with rubber Centralizers
facilitate maintenance and protect the riser pipe against internal wear. The tools for installation and maintenance,
along with an interactive user manual are provided along with the hand pump.
The unique
features of the Afridev hand pump
renders it a special quality which sets it apart from the conventional manual
hand pumps as it can be quite easily assembled and installed and doesn’t need
dismantling of all the parts for maintenance or replacing. Also, it cuts out on
the high maintenance costs owing to the non corrosive nature of the connecting
rods. The tools for installation further eases out the usage. The afridev hand
pump thus eliminates the difficulties and complexities associated with
machinery and give it a user friendly quality, while solving the problem of
hygienic drinking water supply in urban and suburban areas.
