Ram Pump
Ram pump is a pump that requires no electricity or fuel. It uses only the kinetic energy of flowing water to push water to an upland tank. The collected water is then piped down into faucets constructed in the community. The ram pump is effective, easy to install, low maintenance, sustainable and can supply water for the agricultural needs of a community.
The key social requirements for site selection for the ram pump include: a minimum of 50 household beneficiaries for domestic usage or a minimum of five hectares for purposes of agricultural irrigation in communities without reliable water sources for a considerable period of time; and existing water sources are at least one kilometer away or it takes more than 30 minutes to reach; where the cost of water is a prohibitive factor in the community’s rights to it, and where water-borne diseases are common due to the lack of access to clean sources of water.
The installation of the ram pump involves: identification of site; conduct of a survey or technical study; preparation of local community; construction of impounding structure, catchment tank and installation of ram pump, reservoir, tap stand and laying of pipes; and turnover to Community Water Association. Capacity-building is also important component of the technology such as training on solid waste management, watershed management, sustainable agriculture, reforestation and biosand filter; and technical management of ram pump water system.
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