The PlayPump is a merry-go-round which is connected to a water pump; as children play, water is pumped into a storage tank. However, early hype, including a significant pledge by the Clinton Global Initiative and trials by UNICEF, gave way to concerns about cost-effectiveness, the requirements of communities as a whole, and the potential conflation of play and work where water supplies are inadequate.

“There were various problems. First, the pump was very expensive … So there were real concerns about the cost of the pumps. And it was very clear to us that, whereas it may be an appropriate pump for a school, it is not appropriate as a community pump. It’s difficult for adults to operate, and so that meant it had severe limitations for us because we were looking for models to serve communities.”

Clarissa Brocklehurst, Chief of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, UNICEF
PBS (2009) Interview with Clarissa Brocklehurst.