The Treadle Pump

The key piece of technology used in our project will be the treadle pump. Before we begin creating our entire system, it is necessary to understand and create this important element. Here's a little information on a basic staple of irrigation - the pump!



A treadle pump is a man-powered pump designed to lift water from a bucket or shallow ground. Because of their cheap production cost and simple design, they are a good low cost alternative to motorized pumps. This has led development groups such as IDEI (Int'l Development Enterprises) to espouse their promotion in the 'developing world'.



Our treadle pump will be lightweight and durable, designed for light use in the garden. We're still discussing the details - whether to make the design out of wood or metal, for instance, or how large we should make it. We'll post our final designs when they are finished! Until then, take a look at this fantastic blog documenting the creation of hand-made treadle pumps for use in Haiti:

http://treadlepump.blogspot.com/