In the recovery from the earthquake, aid agencies are working hard to rebuild water systems in communities. However, making an effective and safe water system is challenging due to the lack of availability of suitable parts. Water systems are typically constructed from flexible HDPE piping, which should be joined by plastic fittings that seal the pipe with an o-ring. However, local markets only contain galvanised iron fittings, which do not seal to the pipes and are easy to k

Lack of available safe water pipe fittings is a key issue Field Ready has identified in Nepal. In IDP camps improvised pipe fittings were commonly being used, along with inappropriate metal fittings, both of which leak considerably. When Field Ready 3D printed a replacement pipe fitting we were struck by the observation that a wide range of pipe sizes and connection configurations are needed. And the fact that not all pipes were of the expected standard sizes. Since those ini