The Invention of the Play Pump
Why in the world a play pump?
In rural areas of South Africa, getting water is treacherous. Most cases are like the town of Stinkwater, South Africa. Daily, women had to walk (an average of) 3 kilometers to find a lake, a river, a stream or a water pump full of unsanitary water. But these women do not fill up a vase of water; they fill up on average 5 gallons of water. And for transportation, the women carry it back or have a wheelbarrow to help them.
But that is all changing due to the brillant minds of Trevor Field (an entrepeneur, who runs a billboard company) and an inventer.
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How the play pump works
1. In order for the play pump to work first children play on the merry-go round or called the roundabout.
2. Once the roundabout is moving, the movement activates conventional boreholes pumps. (Rotational movement is converted into linear movement by a two part mechanical piece)
3. After the linear movement begins, the play pump begins to pump ground water.
4. Next, the newly pumped water goes into storage (a 2500 liter tank)
5. Finally, to get access to the water, women (or children) have a simple tap to obtain the water.
6/7. Also, to provide money for the keep-up of the play pump a four sided billboard is put up, two sides with health messages about HIV (ect.) and the other two filled with advertisements.
FuN fAcT's!
*A 50 gallon jug weighs 40 pounds*Some women have to make more than one trip *One trip takes as long as four hours *There are 500 Play Pumps in South Africa (most instaled at or near schools
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