If correctly installed at the best angle, the T-handled piston rod does not rub against the edge of the cylinder. Developers recommended that the cylinder be covered for protection from sunlight, though ABS has a better record against ultra violet light than other plastics. At the base of the cylinder there is a surge chamber to compensate for velocity variations in the water column, and a foot valve, which can be removed with a looped cord to save dismantling the rest of the pump. The major modification in the SWS Rower from the original design from Bangladesh is in the composition of the cup seals on the piston valve at the base of the piston rod. In Bangladesh the pump operates with a single piston valve cup seal manufactured in leather while the SWS Rower Pump uses two Nitrile seals back to back.
Length of pull has a direct and constant relationship to discharge per stroke.
For example, a short pull of 450mm will yield 1.5 litres while a 900mm pull brings 3 litres. Standard handpump precautions need to be taken when the pump is being used for domestic purposes. For irrigation it is usually sufficient for the water to discharge into a trench or other channel leading to the cultivation area. For household use, the most comfortable height is at knee level to the operator, though a block to stand on, or some adjustment, will be needed for children. Domestic use calls for a concrete base and drainage channel to avoid erosion around the pump, or standing pools of muddy water which would create a health hazard.