The problem of water in Kenya is widespread, therefore people have resorted to fetch water using all the available means.Communities in Kenya are dependent on different sources of water during different seasons of the year. To alleviate this problem, people have sought for the use of mechanized and reliable systems, like diesel water pumps to make the water available.
There are different types of water pumps available for use in accessing water, these pumps are classified into two main categories as follows:
- Dynamic Pumps
- Positive Displacement Pumps
The Dynamic pumps is comprised of the following types of pumps -like Vertical centrifugal, Centrifugal, Submersible, Horizontal centrifugal, and Fire hydrant systems.
The Positive Displacement Pumps on the other hand is comprised of – like gear peristaltic, diaphragm,piston, and lobe pumps.
The water pumps are used in households to pump water to a reservoir tank for storage or supply to the different rooms in the building, it is also useful for irrigation in the farms, and by the fire brigade personnel during fire extinguishing operations.
The diesel pumps are increasingly gaining popularity due to the fact that diesel is cheap, and the alternative electric pump may not be convenient due to the lack of electricity power supply in most of the rural settings in Kenya.
The diesel water pump prices in Kenya are determined by the following factors:
- Suction Head
The size of the suction head, basically determines the depth from which the water can be reached and pumped to the surface. The price of the water pump tends to be higher, where the suction size of the machine is bigger. The water levels of different areas vary, and accordingly, the prices will also vary.
- Total/HydraulicHead
Static Head or vertical lift, is the height above ground and below ground, whileFrictional Loss is the friction created as water is discharged through the pipes.Discharge Pressure relates to the volume of discharge at the outlet of the pipe.Therefore, the Total head is the sum of the vertical lift, discharge pressure and the frictional loss. The higher the capacity means a higher cost of the diesel pump’s price in the Kenya market.
- Maximum discharge
This is the maximum rate at which water is pumped and is measured in terms of gallons or litres per minute. The higher the rate, means the higher the price of the diesel pump’s value in the market.
- Location/Area
The prices of the diesel water pumps tend to be cheaper in areas closer to the suppliers, Nairobi where most suppliers are located, enjoys a lower price as compared to areas further away, where transportation costs and other commercial costs come into play.
Conclusion
The general water pump prices in Kenya are largely determined by the locality of the user, as different areas have different water levels, based on the various geographical aspects of the area. The fuel prices in Kenya also varies as soon as it leaves the port of Mombasa, therefore the diesel price has an operating cost effect, which eventually bears on the overall cost of the water pump.
