In 1978, IDRC funded efforts by researchers at the University of Waterloo to develop a reliable handpump suitable for Southern conditions. The result was an inexpensive, lightweight pump made from rustproof PVC plastic. The water it carries has a better taste and odour. The design was tested and refined at the University of Malaya, Malaysia, and researchers in other countries made further adaptations. Designed to be easily repaired with local materials, such as a leather belt or a rope dipped in chicken fat, the pumps are produced and sold through GOAZ Development in Malaysia.
Different models serve variable numbers of people, from one family to a whole village.
Interest in the pump continues to grow, spreading the benefits of this technology to a widening circle of developing nations. In 1994 the Malaysian government chose the Unimade pump to supply water at 20 rest stops along the North-South Expressway, the country's main highway. Although water pipelines had recently been extended to these areas, the handpump network is hoping to convert the motorized pumps to handpumps to satisfy personal taste. According to Dr. Goh Sing Yau at the University of Malaya, people in some areas still prefer groundwater even when pipeline water becomes available. GOAZ employs eight technicians and assembly workers, and two clerical staff.