Smart hand pumps promise cleaner water in Africa

“Water does not just save lives in the short term – it is also a cornerstone for delivering economic growth and helping countries to work their way out of poverty,” he said.

“This is why UK aid will give an additional 15 million people access to clean water by 2015 and supporting a number of programmes, like this one, to help the world’s poorest countries harness the full potential of their water resources.”

The technology has other potential benefits. It will allow scientists to compile a real time database of how much water is being used across the continent. Greater predictability of breakdowns could also help drive down the cost of repairs.