FairWater Challenge cycling across Africa (2010)

August-November 2010  •  83 days

Ralph is now asking attention for the problem of too many broken down handpumps in Africa and how this problem can be solved. In Africa, thousand of handpumps have been installed, but today only 1 out of 3 is still working and over 150.000 handpumps (still counting…) are broken down beyond repair because maintenance is too complicated. If handpumps cannot be made more sustainable, most of Africa will be without safe water again within 10 years. FairWater, a Dutch NGO, developed the BluePump, which is virtually indestructible, simple and inexpensive to maintain with local resources and can lift water by hand from as deep as 100m. After thoroughly testing by leading international development organizations, this innovative Dutch designed handpump is now regarded as the most durable handpump in the world. The FairWater Bike Challenge raise funds to replace at least 25 defective handpumps in the Lushoto District in North Tanzania with this durable FairWater BluePump. Rehabilitation is relatively simple, fast en more cost-effective compared with making new boreholes. If this example is followed by other water projects, most of the water problems in Africa could be solved within 5 years.