“In Africa, The kid-powered Playpump solves critical water issues during recess.
If we get thirsty here in the U.S., we just turn the tap on and let it run till it’s nice and cold—even in the wilderness, all we have to do is drop in a tablet and take a sip. But the truth is that over one billion people worldwide don’t have the same access to clean water. Over 6,000 people per day die from drinking water filled with chemicals, bacteria, and disease.

PlayPumps wants to change that: By installing 4,000 of their patented water systems around the world, parched people in impoverished places like Africa could soon simply just turn the tap like us. The best part? Their pumps work by utilizing the power of children at play.

The process is simple: Kids on a playground spin a multi-colored merry-go-round with their hands. This hand-pushed merry-go-round drives an underground pump that pushes water into a 2,500-gallon storage tank on stilts above ground. The water filters in the tank, and users operate a tap connected to the tank, which they can use to fill bottles.”

(via The Daily Dirt)