No. 6 pump
The No. 6 Pump is a lever operated suction pump for shallow wells. Typically, No. 6 Pumps are installed in collapsible tube wells with the screen extending to the coarse sand aquifer.
It is designed for family use, serving up to 100 persons. The maximum possible lift is 7 m. The No. 6 pump is a public domain pump defined by RWSN specifications. It is easy to install and has excellent potential for community based maintenance.
This pump is like all Suction Pumps limited to pumping lifts of a maximum of 8 m. It is not recommended to go deeper than 6-7 m. The No 6 Pump is not designed for a high daily output; it is rather a family or small community pump. If the foot valve looses its priming, water needs to be added to start the pumping again. This includes the danger of contamination.
Suitable conditions
Distribution: several millions in Bangladesh and India.
| Depths to be used: | 0 to 6 m |
| Cylinder diameter: | 89.0 mm |
| Maximum Stroke: | 215 mm |
| Approx. discharge (75 watt input): | at 5 m head: 3.5 m³/hour |
| Pumping lift: | 0 - 7 m |
| Population served: | 50 - 100 people |
| Households: | 5 - 10 hh |
| Water cons.: | 20 - 25 l/per capita |
| Type of well | collapsible tube well or dug well |
Construction, operations and maintenance
Pump head, body and handle are of cast iron, pump rods are of mild steel, suction pipe of PVC-U pipe, Plunger and check valve are of brass. This makes the No. 6 Pump reasonably corrosion resistant.
The installation of the No 6 Pump is easy and does not need any lifting equipment or special tools. The drillers who sink the tube well with the “sludging method” also install the pump.
This pump has an excellent “Community Management Potential”. Only two spanners are needed to repair plunger and foot valve. A village caretaker can perform all maintenance operations.
