Bomba Carcará - Social technology for handling rainwater

The ＂Carcará 1 and 2＂ pumps are part of the development of social technologies that are suited to the badge cisterns programme thanks to their low cost and easy construction in that, just like in the construction of badge cisterns, the population participates in their development with simple tools that make a social commitment exist to achieve a very common goal. The use of hand pumps guarantees a low level of contamination in the extraction of the water stored in the cisterns, which, along with good care and cleaning of the reception area and the distribution pipes, include the recommendations that the WHO gives for the reduction of health risks for rainwater (WHO 2012). In this sense, the ＂Carcará 1 and 2＂ pumps are a great tool for carrying this out. In the laboratory of the School of Design and Industrial Design (ETSIDI) of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), a Carcará 2 pump was built with methacrylate for teaching purposes so that the internal elements and the flow of water could be observed.