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Hippo Roller for Water Access and Well-being:
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
Hippo Rollers are deliberately manufactured to be long-lasting with daily use in tough rural conditions using a specialised roto-moulding process – it takes one hour to make one drum.
The steel handle has been upgraded to stainless steel to reduce potential corrosion in many high humidity territories where it is used.
The typical lifespan is 5-7 years, often longer depending on the prevailing conditions and frequency of use.. Due to the fact that most Hippo Rollers are sponsored or donated, we want to provide good value for money – NOT “made to break”.
Depending on the options selected (like local delivery and handover ceremony), and assuming a conservative lifespan of just 5 years – one Hippo Roller costs about 11c (USD) per household per day.
Boreholes and wells are a fantastic solution for communities that do not have access to water close by. However, this only solves half of the problem. Water still needs to be carried all the way home which is difficult and very time-consuming.
The ongoing high costs of maintenance and theft, which are a common occurrence, interrupts the supply of water.
Combining Hippo Rollers with boreholes and wells is an ideal solution as the placement can be more strategically located to cover a wider territory. The Hippo Roller also provides a flexible infrastructure to access other water points in the event of interruptions.
It is specifically designed to be maintenance-free and highly durable for daily use even in tough rural conditions which include uneven gravel surfaces, sharp stones, footpaths and even hilly terrain.
The stresses caused by rolling over uneven surfaces are diffused around the entire shape of the drum which has flexible properties and no joins – made as one solid piece. Sand granules are embedded in the rolling surface which adds an extra layer of protection. The wall is thick enough to prevent punctures, giving it a 5 to 7-year life span, often much longer.
Extensive tests over the last 27 years and various awards have proven the Hippo Roller to be both effective and durable.
The innovative design of the Hippo Roller means that the majority of the weight is dispersed on the ground. A full drum of 90L (24 gal) has a weight of approximately 90kg (200 lbs), but the effective weight when pushing or pulling the Hippo Roller on level ground is just 10kg (22 lbs).
Far less effort is required to move a full Hippo Roller than to carry 20 litres (5 gal) of water on your head in the traditional manner. Most water carriers are women and children who love using the Hippo Roller.
The drum of the Hippo Roller is made from UV stabilized linear low-density polyethylene. LLDPE is one of the safest eco-friendly plastics and is used in most water storage tanks. It is considered a low hazard plastic and is approved food-grade material.
This is a huge improvement on second-hand water containers that are normally used, many of which previously contained harmful substances.
The newly designed Utility Cap allows users to conveniently and hygienically draw water without contaminating the contents of the drum and ensures hygienic storage of clean water.
The main focus of Hippo Roller is to improve access to water. Clean portable water is achieved by pairing a range of 3rd party filters onto the Utility Cap and/or adding water purification products into the drum. Some of the 3rd party filters and purification products we have used include Sawyer, LifeStraw, Madidrop and Aquatabs.
The use of Bio-Sand filters is highly recommended as they do not require an ongoing supply of filters and purification products which, in rural locations, can be difficult to ensure a sustained supply.
Although the plastic drums and caps could be recycled, we have found that users are unwilling to return damaged rollers and would rather re-purpose them as storage bins, plant pots, feeding and water troughs for animals, even baths for washing clothes and children.
It is also very difficult to source sufficient recycled LLDPE material and so we only use virgin material since we want the maximum lifespan for the Hippo Roller because they are generally funded with donor and sponsor funds.
The Hippo Water Roller is manufactured to be very durable and for this reason does not easily break or land up on the scrap heap.
Articles & Publications
- AfricaFreak: This Super “Hippo” is improving access to water – 90 litres at a time
- The Atlas of the Future: Water on wheels in Africa
- Biz Community: #InnovationMonth: This simple solution rolls a long way in ensuring water access in rural communities
- The Borgen Project: The Hippo Roller: A Water Collection Solution
- Brand South Africa: Water, dignity and the Hippo Roller Project
- Business Insider: This innovative water carrier is changing lives in rural Africa
- CAF America: Water Access in Africa on a Roll
- Customer Think: 3 Innovation lessons from the Hippo Water Roller story
- Forbes: How One Simple, Innovative Product Is Transforming Farmers' Lives In Mozambique
- Global Citizen: This Blue Drum Is Changing Lives in Sub-Saharan Africa
- INDEX: Design to Improve Life: Hippo Roller, Index: Award 2005 Finalist
- MIT Technology Review: Ten recent low-tech inventions that have changed the world
- Muslim Hands: Water for Tawene village
- Operation Hunger: Hippo Roller Handout to Communities in Limpopo
- Technology Exchange Lab: Hippo Water Roller Project
- The Times of India: The Hippo Roller - A brilliant way to push water
100 Stories of Design to Improve Life, Index, p.04-5. Denmark, 2010.
365 Ways to Change the World, p.39. RSA, 2006.
Appropriate Technology, p.47. UK, 2003.
African Review, p.57. UK, 2002.
Business Partnership Magazine, RSA, 1996.
Citizen Engineer, p.214. USA, 2009.
Design like You Give a Damn, p.280-1. USA, 2006.
Design Revolution, p.65-9. London, 2009.
DOT Magazine ArtCentre College of Design, p.8. Pasadena, 2005.
En.v Magazine, p.58. Kuwait, 2008.
GOOD Magazine, p.62. USA, 2008.
Great SA Inventions, p.74. RSA, 2010.
Interdesign 1999 Annual Report, p.22-3. RSA, 1999.
Kajima, Magazine, p.16-7. Japan, 2011.
New Focus on Success Textbook, p.120. Berlin, 2002.
“O” Magazine, USA, Feb 2010.
Our Planet Magazine, p.27. UK, 2003.
Rotoworld Magazine Texas, p.28-32. Texas, 2010.
Scientists Try, Try Again, p.30-1. USA, 2008.
The Economist, p.13. London, 2003.
Watershed: The World House Guide to Designing Water’s Future, p.83. Toronto, 2007.
WIPO Magazine, p.27. Geneva, 2005.
Wired Magazine, p.115. USA, 2002.
WorldAid Review, p.97. Dubai, 1998.
Reports & Assessments
- AECI: A Round-up of Socio-economic Development Investments in 2017
- Cargill, Incorporated: On a roll to help chicken farmers in Mozambique
- Design Life-cycle: Raw Materials of Hippo Roller
- Frost & Sullivan: Best practices Research Report
- SA Government: Eastern Cape Impact Assessment Report
- Siemens Stiftung: Empowering people. Network: Technologies for basic needs - Hippo Water Roller
- Water Research Council: The South African Water Innovation Story
- UNESCO / UN Water: The United Nations World Water Development Report 2019. Pg's. 49, 57.
Hippo Rollers for Lesotho
March 2020 Handover at St Augustine’s Centre for Teenage Mothers in Lesotho – sponsored by Rotary Club International.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Research Report – Hippo Roller 2016
Abstract: Since the establishment of the Hippo Water Roller Project in 1994, the company has continued to provide an appropriate portable water solution for economically
Positive 3rd Party Impact Assessment Report – SA Government approves Hippo roller as an appropriate technology for rural development
The South African Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) through its Technology Research and Development (TRD) Chief Directorate identified Hippo water rollers as
World Food Programme in Tanzania use Hippo Water Rollers in school feeding projects
Hippo water rollers are currently used by the World Food Programme (WFP) as a key part of their Schools Feeding Program in Tanzania. The availability
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