Comparison
Hand pump or electric well?
Both bring water close to homes, with the same sign and the same proof. What changes: how the water comes up and where it comes out.
In short
The hand pump brings water up with a lever, with no electricity. The electric well uses a pump that fills a tank, and the water comes out of taps.
Point by point
The differences, side by side
Depths, construction times, prices and countries come from our current models.
| Criterion | Hand pump | Electric well |
|---|---|---|
| How the water comes up | By hand, with a few strokes of the lever | An electric pump fills a tank |
| Electricity | None | Electric pump |
| Where the water comes out | From the spout of the pump | From taps, fed by the tank |
| Depth | 4 to 8 m · 10 to 25 m · 20 m · 110 m | 10 to 16 m · 20 m |
| Construction | 1 week · 1 to 2 weeks · 3 to 4 weeks · 3 to 6 weeks | 1 week · 1 to 2 weeks · 3 to 6 weeks |
| Price | $210 – $5,590 | $399 – $5,350 |
| Countries | 🇵🇰 Pakistan · 🇲🇬 Madagascar · 🇺🇬 Uganda · 🇧🇯 Benin | 🇵🇰 Pakistan · 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
Which one to choose?
A few pointers to decide
Every well brings water. Choose according to what speaks to you.
No electricity
A simple well that works by hand: the hand pump.
Hand pumpWater at the tap
Water stored in a tank and drawn from taps: the electric well.
Electric wellFor a mosque
The ablution bench, an electric well with taps and stools for wudu.
Electric wellDrawing with a bucket
The traditional well, with or without a lifting system.
Traditional well
Hand pump
Our hand pumps
From the small pump near the houses to the deep borehole.
PakistanSmall hand pumpBeneficiariesUp to 50 peopleDepth20 mBuild time1 to 2 weeksfrom$210See this well
MadagascarSmall hand pumpBeneficiaries6 to 10 householdsDepth4 to 8 mBuild time1 weekfrom$515See this well
UgandaHand pump wellBeneficiariesAbout 300 peopleDepth10 to 25 mBuild time3 to 4 weeksfrom$1,150See this well
BeninHand pump borehole (110 m deep)BeneficiariesAbout 150 peopleDepth110 mBuild time3 to 6 weeksfrom$5,590See this well
Electric well
Our electric wells
A pump, a tank and taps, including the ablution bench.
PakistanElectric well with taps and water tankBeneficiaries1 to 2 familiesDepth20 mBuild time1 weekfrom$399See this well
PakistanAblution bench with well, taps and water tankBeneficiariesMosque worshippersDepth20 mBuild time1 to 2 weeksfrom$629See this well
MadagascarElectric well with taps and water tankBeneficiariesAbout 1,000 peopleDepth10 to 16 mBuild time3 to 6 weeksfrom$5,350See this well
Traditional well
And the traditional well?
Dug and lined with masonry, water is drawn with a bucket, sometimes with a winch or a pulley.
BeninClassic well with a drawing systemBeneficiariesAbout 250 peopleDepth10 to 16 mBuild time3 to 6 weeksfrom$1,350See this well
MadagascarClassic well with a drawing systemBeneficiariesAbout 200 peopleDepth10 to 16 mBuild time2 to 4 weeksfrom$1,800See this well
UgandaClassic wellBeneficiariesAbout 150 peopleDepth10 to 25 mBuild time3 to 4 weeksfrom$789See this well
BeninClassic wellBeneficiariesAbout 150 peopleDepth10 to 16 mBuild time3 to 6 weeksfrom$1,000See this well
How much does a well cost?
All our wells compared by price, by country and by model.
Questions
Hand pump or electric: your questions
A real person from our team will answer you, in English or French.
What is the difference between a hand pump and an electric well?
The hand pump brings water up with a lever, with no electricity, and the water comes out of the spout. The electric well uses a pump that fills a tank, and the water comes out of taps.
Which one serves the most people?
It depends on the model more than on the technique: from a few households to several hundred people. The number of beneficiaries of each model is shown in the table and on its page.
In which countries can I fund a hand pump or an electric well?
Each country has its own models, suited to the ground: a hand pump in Pakistan, in Madagascar, in Uganda, and in Benin, an electric well in Pakistan and in Madagascar.
How much does a hand pump cost? And an electric well?
A hand pump costs from $210 to $5,590, an electric well from $399 to $5,350, all included: the construction, the sign, the photos, the videos and the follow-up.
Your well
Pump or electric, the water arrives
Choose your well and the name on the sign. We take care of the rest, all the way to the photos and videos.
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