Pump it Up: Data Mining the Water Table

Can you predict which water pumps are faulty to promote access to clean, potable water across Tanzania? This is an intermediate-level practice competition. #development

intermediate practice
10 months left
17,393 joined

Challenge Summary

Technical diagram of a hand pump

Can you predict which water pumps are faulty?

Using data from Taarifa and the Tanzanian Ministry of Water, can you predict which pumps are functional, which need some repairs, and which don't work at all? This is an intermediate-level practice competition. Predict one of these three classes based on a number of variables about what kind of pump is operating, when it was installed, and how it is managed. A smart understanding of which waterpoints will fail can improve maintenance operations and ensure that clean, potable water is available to communities across Tanzania.

Competition End Date:

Oct. 5, 2025, 11:59 p.m.

This competition is for learning and exploring, so the deadline may be extended in the future.

How to compete

  1. Click the "Join the competition" button on the sidebar to enroll in the competition.
  2. Get familiar with the problem on the Problem Description and About page.
  3. Download the data from the Data tab.
  4. Create and train your own model.
  5. Use your model to generate predictions that match the submission format. Click “Submit” in the sidebar, and then “Make new submission”. You’re in!
  6. Bonus: share your work! Visit the "Share your work" page after joining and add a link to your approach.

Pump diagram courtesy of Manco Capac via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)