Handwashing: the Tippy Tap - simple and safe
Updated - Friday 07 November 2008
The Tippy Tap is a simple and hygienic device for handwashing, which is very easy to set up and use. It is essentially a suspended jerry can which can be tipped over by pulling a rope. In this way, there is no need to touch the can with dirty hands, making it hygienic to use. The Tippy Tap has existed in various forms for a number of years[1] but has recently been revived in a more modern design by the Working Group on Development Techniques (WOT) at the University of Twente in the Netherlands [2].
The 'new' Tippy Tap consists of a five-litre container hanging on a horizontal stick. There is a rope through the cap, which is attached to a stick on the ground. When the stick is pushed down with the foot, the container tips and water runs out. A piece of soap hangs on a rope next to the container, allowing the hands to be washed thoroughly.
[1] For earlier versions of the Tippy Tap, see:
- Dialogue on Diarrhoea (no, 54 Sep-Nov 1993),
- the Tippy Tap II (Lifewater 2005) and
- Canacla (see Handwashing: new water-saving technology introduced in Rwanda, Source Weekly, 28 Nov 2007; the web site referred to in this article is, however, no longer available).
[2] Westra, M.T. and Holtslag, H. (2008). How to make a tippy tap : a hygienic hand washing device with running water. Enschede, The Netherlands, Werkgroep OntwikkelingsTechnieken, University of Twente and Leiden, The Netherlands, Connect International. 7 p. Download here.
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