Rope Pump Page

Rope Pump
New RDI innovations using locally obtainable parts have updated a previous design of this efficient water moving device. In essence, a rope with washers evenly spaced along its length reaches down into a well and captures water between the washers in a PVC pipe - pulling it up to the surface. Simply turning a hand crank delivers large volumes of water quickly and easily. A modified version of this pump is being developed to help retrieve river water during the dry season. By the end of the dry season, the level of the river can fall as much as 45 feet below normal leaving a steep, exposed river bed that is very difficult to negotiate, especially when trying to carry an ungainly water bucket. Pumping water with new version of the rope pump may involve something like pedaling a bicycle.

A typical water bucket used to
draw and/or carry water in
rural villages.

Special joint design eliminates need for additional steel bracing.	A simple electrical insulator serves as guide for the rope in the well.	PVC caps (A) are ground down to create the proper shaped washers (B)

The technology associated with the rope pump is too important to be kept secret from thirsty people throughout the world. RDI is happy to share the information necessary to help make construction of these simple, yet very functional pumps possible for anyone anywhere.