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Alan Stinchcombe gravatar image

I agree with LarryB. I also observed derelict dug wells in Cameroon made inaccessible by a concrete slab and a broken pump.

The India Mk 2 is available in-country but is not VLOM, as personnel require thorough training to lift the riser pipe correctly and safely for cylinder maintenance. It also requires installation by technicians who have a more sophisticated understanding than “Surely all is ok if the rod is connected to the chain / handle and water comes out”. Technicians need sufficient understanding of the pump’s mechanism to appreciate that both over- and under-length connecting rods cause breakdowns, so the connecting rod must be exactly the right length.

The India Mk 3 pump is VLOM, but uses a more expensive 63 mm riser pipe and I don't think it is widely available.

You should not plan to install any pump unless you are absolutely sure that: - spare parts are available locally, since there is no reliable postal system - spare parts are affordable - there is a sufficiently skillful technician available to repair the pump

Ideally, all slabs for dug wells should be equipped with a headwall, windlass and bucket as well as a cut-out for a pump. For improved security, I have designed a prototype siphon for emptying the bucket by pipe within an locked well-housing.