Abstract

In French-speaking Africa, like other developing countries, most programs to improve the quality and supply of drinking water use imported pumps. When these pumps break down, spare parts are not available and the pumps fall into disuse. Villagers then resort to drinking contaminated water. In Mali, only 8 percent of the rural population has access to pumps in spite of a national program to improve the supply of drinking water. This project evaluates the performance of a Malaysian pump (PVC UNIMADE) under conditions in rural Mali. Factors studied include reliability and durability of the pump, acceptance by users and the local manufacture of spare parts. Villagers are trained to install, repair, supervise and maintain the pump themselves. A cost-benefit comparison between the UNIMADE pump and others used in the community is being carried out.

Post-Project Summary

The final report presents the characteristics of the 38 UNIMADE wells (age, diameter, depth, static level of the water table, water quality, water use, other permanent water supply points); data about the operation of the pumps (number of breakdowns, down time); and data about the nature of the breakdowns (shaft, arm, triangle, etc.). The technicians observed, in the Niafunké sector, that the UNIMADE pumps broke down an average of 4.5 times, for an average working life of two years, whereas the INDIA pump broke down once a year on average. The average down time was 20 to 30 days for the INDIA pump and 2.5 days for the UNIMADE pump, because an efficient maintenance system has been put in place. Moreover, maintenance of the UNIMADE pump cost, on average, 3,588 CFA francs, whereas the average maintenance cost of the INDIA pump was 35,000 CFA francs. The average number of breakdowns per pump managed by women was 2.2 and the down time was 1.5 days, while the average number of breakdowns per pump managed by men was 4.8 and the down time was 3.5 days. Given the women's proven efficiency and the fact that they are the first ones affected by a water problem, it is suggested that in future the emphasis be placed on the training of female maintenance workers. As for the villagers taking over responsibility for the pump, it is noted that water source management committees met, on average, 11.4 times, and the average participation rate was 76%; that all villages but one have a village fund for pump maintenance; that the funds are wholly administered by the villages, which decide the amount of contributions and expenditures to be made; that in a sampling of villages, hygiene around the water supply points and in the village is fairly good; and that there has been a notable decline in the mortality and morbidity rates linked to waterborne diseases since the preliminary study. It is further noted that the project has had a major impact on the degree of organization of the communities concerned, and this has encouraged the development of lucrative activities around the pump, especially market gardening.

Recipient Institution(s)