New Paper: Contribution of physical factors to handpump borehole functionality in Africa

The latest from the Hidden Crisis project: Highlights Functionality classifications were used to assess the role of physical factors on handpump borehole (HPB) performance. Hydrogeology, borehole configuration and handpump (HP) components were examined by dismantling 145 HPBs. Handpump components are…

An Analysis of Hand Pump Boreholes Functionality in Malawi

by  Prof T. Mkandawire, E. Mwathunga, A.M. MacDonald, H.C. Bonsor, S. Banda, P.,Mleta, S. Jumbo, J. Ward, D. Lapworth, L. Whaley, R.M. Lark Abstract A survey on functionality of boreholes equipped with hand pumps was undertaken in five districts in Malawi in 2016. The survey…

A Malawian researcher takes UPGro knowledge to up-and-coming scientists in college

Interview by Isaiah Esipisu, PAMACC News Agency – http://www.pamacc.org Patrick Makuluni is a lecturer in the Mining Department of the University of Malawi, the Polytechnic. Makuluni holds MSc in Mineral Exploration and Mining Geology from Curtin University in Australia and…

Debating real-world community-based management of water points

Community-management has been the mainstay of rural water supplies in Africa, and in many other parts of the world, but is it the only way? Are there better alternatives? In this lively webinar, researchers from the UPGro Hidden Crisis project…

African governments acknowledging the Hidden Crisis

Survey results of rural water points in Uganda, Ethiopia and Malawi presented to government ministry chiefs
'Functionality' of a water point is more than a binary is water flow at the time of inspection? YES/NO
Government partners see the value in how the research can improve monitoring and evaluation of rural water supplies

Long lasting rural water supplies in tough environments: lessons from Kenya

by Dr Tim Foster (from the Oxwater blog) Having just published the fourth instalment in a series of papers examining rural supply sustainability on the south coast of Kenya, it is timely to reflect upon some of the common threads that emerge…

Call for standard approach to assessing water supply functionality

New UPGro paper “The need for a standard approach to assessing the functionality of rural community water supplies” by  Helen Bonsor,  Alan MacDonald, Vincent Casey, Richard Carter and Paul Wilson. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-017-1711-0 The Sustainable Development Goals have set an agenda for…

New UPGro paper: “Risk Factors associated with rural water supply: A 30-year retrospective study of handpumps on the south coast of Kenya”

2018 promises to be really interesting one as the UPGro (Unlocking the Potential of Groundwater for the Poor) reaches maturity. There is already a lot published since 2014 (https://upgro.org/publications-papers/peer-reviewed-journal-papers/) and here is a new one, which will be of interest…

Investigating water governance arrangements in Balaka District, Malawi – news from the field

by Naomi Oates, Grantham institute, UPGro Hidden Crisis My first impressions of Malawi? It is hot! Temperatures are reaching 37°C in Balaka district at the moment. Around midday it is particularly difficult to move around in the scorching sun – much…

Stop the Rot – helps us stop the scandal of pump corrosion

This week RWSN/UPGro hosted a webinar on: Overcoming the Rural Water Supply Scandal of Handpump Corrosion (RWSN) - Recording (English) Dépasser le scandale de la corrosion des pompes manuelles dans l'approvisionnement rural en eau (RWSN) - Recording (French) The key…