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Manual sludge pumps like the Pooh Pump or the Gulper are relatively new inventions and have shown promise as being low-cost, effective solutions for sludge emptying where, because of access, safety or economics, other sludge emptying techniques are not possible. The pump works on the same concept as a water pump: the handle is pumped, the liquid (sludge) rises up through the bottom of the pump and is forced out of a tap (sludge spout). Hand-pumps can be made locally with steels rods and valves in a PVC casing. The bottom of the pipe is lowered down into the pit/tank while the operator remains at the surface to operate the pump, thus removing the need for someone to enter the pit. As the operator pushes and pulls the handle, the sludge is pumped up through the main shaft and is then discharged through the V-shaped discharge spout. The sludge that is discharged can be collected in barrels, bags or carts, and removed from the site with little mess or danger to the operator.
===Gulper===
One example of such a pump is The Gulper. This is a simple hand pump used to empty wet pit latrines and drain interceptor tanks. It consists of PVC pipes for the body, and stainless steel valves and puller rod. The Gulper is lowered into the pit with a footrest at groundlevel. The operator raises and lowers a puller rod, which pushes the sludge from the pit up through a pipe into a bucket or bag. Using the gulper, operators no longer need to climb into the pits and come in contact with the septic sludge. It is also much less time consuming as it removes around 3 litres of sludge per stroke. It is a cheaper method of improving sanitation, than trying to replace the pits by proper latrines. For more information about the Gulper see http://www.ideas-at-work.org/pdf/Gulper_pit_emptying_device.pdf
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