[[Image:lever action icon.png|right|100px80px]][[Image:volanta pump.jpg|thumb|right|250px200px|The Volanta pump with flywheel. Photo: [http://www.rural-water-supply.net/en/implementation/handpump-overview/volanta RWSN.]]][[Image:afripump.jpg|thumb|right|250px200px|The Afripump requires less maintenance. Photo: [http://www.handpump.org/afri_pump/index.htm Handpump.org]]]__NOTOC__<small-title />
The Afripump, also called the Blue pump, is an upgrade from the Volanta pump. It no longer has a flywheel, is cheaper, and is said to be more reliable. The Afripump is the upgrade to communities with existing Volanta pumps. Below is the story and details of how the Afripump came to be more useful and some information about the Volanta pump, for those still existing in use.
Optional for the deep water levels is an extendable handle with a massif counter weight to compensate for the extra weight of the water and rods in the rising main. Therefore pumping remains easy, also for children, even at 80 m deep.
===Suitable conditions===
Distribution: Mainly in West African countries.<br>
Some users find it difficult to start the pump. Small children have to stay away from this pump, because the area of the rotating flywheel can be a dangerous playground.
===Construction, operations and maintenance===
Pump stand & flywheel are made of painted Mild Steel, the rising main consists of PVC-U pipes, the cylinder is made of glass fibre reinforced epoxy resin, plunger & the pump rods are of Stainless Steel and the valves of rubber. The pump is corrosion resistant.
The Afripump is also 100 % VLOM (Village Level Operated & Maintained) because the few simple activities can be done by a local caretaker with local available materials and require no special tools, equipment or training.
===Costs===Studies show that families in rural communities will agree to pay 1 to 3 US$ per month for a reliable water supply, especially when there are no alternative nearby water souces availabalesources available. One handpump can serve 25 to 50 families that need 125 to 250 buckets of 20 litres/day, which equals 3 to 6 hours of pumping. This is enough to pay 25 to 50 US$ per month for the supervisor, the remaining revenues are sufficient to pay back the loan fully in 3 to 5 years.
===Manuals, videos, and links===
* [http://www.jansen-venneboer.com/machinebouw/handpompen/volanta-pomp/ Jansen Venneboer: Volanta Pump (in Dutch).] Jansen-venneboer.com
* [http://www.handpump.org/volanta_pump/index.htm The Volanta Pump.] Handpump.org
* New name for the Afripump: BluePump - [http://www.fairwater.org/products/bluepump-by-fairwater.html BluePump by Fairwater]. The main distributor of the BluePump is [http://www.boode.com/pages/products-partner-fairwater.php Boode waterwell systems].
===Acknowledgements===
* [http://www.rural-water-supply.net/en/implementation/handpump-overview/volanta Implementation • Handpump Technology Volanta]. RWSN.
* [http://www.handpump.org/afri_pump/index.htm The Afripump]. Handpump.org