May 9 2007
We are delighted to announce that we have won a top industry accolade at this year’s Water Industry Achievement Awards. Despite stiff competition, we were successful in being awarded with the Sustainable Development Award for our contribution to the BushProof project in Madagascar.
BushProof is a humanitarian enterprise aiming at improving the living conditions for people living in low-income countries, we were pleased to help with a project to provide clean water through the construction of low-maintenance hand pumps.
Martin Gisbourne, our Managing Director, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this award. The issue of sustainability is very important and requires global action. We are honoured to be part of the BushProof project, which provides tangible, financial and health benefits for people in developing countries. We’re immensely proud that it has been recognised in this manner. This award is also an acknowledgment of our sustainable product strategy and our aim to achieve the highest standards in everything we do.”
The low-maintenance hand pumps were constructed using Durapipe ABS and PVC-u pipework to provide clean water to rural and coastal areas in Madagascar.
Currently, only 14% of people living in rural areas have access to safe drinking water and this percentage drops to zero in many isolated villages, resulting in high levels of water-borne disease and child mortality.
The simple and unique design of the hand pump means that it requires no maintenance, even when used intensively, and spare part production and repair work can be carried out by the local villagers, without the need for outside assistance. The pump is unlike most other hand pumps because instead of a piston valve moving inside a cylinder, it simply uses one plastic pipe inside another to lift water from at least ten metres.
The hand pumps will be constructed by Bushproof, in a specially designed workshop in Madagascar. Durapipe UK arranged for a container, holding the pipework, along with additional products required for the project, to be shipped over to Madagascar so that a workshop could be set up.