iDE Rope Pump

The iDE Rope Pump is a hand-operated option for accessing water when the water table depth is out of reach of suction pumps, up to 35 m. Washers of locally-available material are tied some distance apart along a long loop of rope, which is threaded down into a well and back up through a pipe. As the rope leaves the pipe it passes over a wheel and back down into the well. As the wheel is turned, the washers bring water up in a continuous stream through the pipe.

Most issues are possible to resolve by basic troubleshooting. Technician support may be needed if the issue is complex, however, a trained village mechanic should be able to resolve problems.

All of the methods in testing/building a new rope pump are listed in the training manual assistance that iDE provides to a producer/manufacturer.

Lifespan information unavailable. Individual dealers and organizations implementing the pumps may have their own warranty.

Unknown

Water quality is still of concern, because of a lack of data for all rope pumps. See report Section 3.6

IDE does not recommend depths over 22 m because the Rope Pump cannot then be effective lifting water for productive purpose, which is their main objective. However yields are still adequate for domestic purposes.