ABSTRACT
In many countries, handpumps often represent the most cost-effective option for rural water supply and they are the principal technology used. They are environmentally friendly, relatively simple to operate, and manageable by the community itself. The need for continued external support for capacity building, dissemination of information and refinement of handpump designs was emphasized in 1992 at a Workshop in Kakamega, Kenya. The workshop mandated the formation of a Handpump Technology Network to provide an institutional framework for better coordination of handpump-related development activities and to optimally utilize resources for technical assistance. The experience indicates that several countries have benefited immensely by standardization on one/two handpumps. Handpumps are environmentally friendly, easy to maintain, and often the most cost-effective option available. Local production of handpumps has been established successfully in many countries, mainly in Asia but to some extent also in Africa.
