How It Works

The Playpump

The PlayPump is a specifically designed and patented roundabout (1) that drives a conventional borehole pump (2) while entertaining children. The revolutionary pump design converts rotational movement to reciprocating linear movement by a driving mechanism consisting of only two working parts.

The Playpump continued

Playing on a roundabout or merry-go-round has always been fun for children, so there is never a shortage of ‘volunteers’. As the children spin, water is pumped from underground (3) into a Polyethelene tank (4), standing seven meters above the ground. A simple tap provides easy access for the mothers and children drawing water (5).Excess water (overflow) is directed from the storage tank back down to the borehole (6).

Four landscape billboards (7) screen the tank to create a unique advertising site. Two sides are used for community awareness messages and the other two sides for commercial advertising messages.

Latest News

Maintenance of Lesotho PlayPumps 2021

Maintenance of Lesotho PlayPumps 2021

We recently visited Lesotho and maintained 22 of our PlayPumps there, thanks to generous donations from ...
New PlayPumps & Maintenance 2020

New PlayPumps & Maintenance 2020

COVID 19 has made it even more imperative that we install new PlayPumps and maintain our existing 900+ ...
Maintenance and installations

Maintenance and installations

We recently installed a PlayPump at Ntsoanatsatsi Edu Care Trust in the Free State  The Trust teaches adults to ...