Most water issues on site aren't dramatic — they're just in the way. A trench full of rainwater, a pit that won't clear, or seepage that slows the next task until it's cleared.
That's when handy pumps earn their place. These small, portable water pumps are designed to be accessed quickly and put to work immediately, often straight off the back of a contractor's ute — solving annoying site problems before they turn into delays.
At Prime Fluid Management, we see handy pumps used every day across civil dewatering and site water management. They're not about scale. They're about reliability and speed.
A handy portable pump delivering fast and reliable nuisance water removal on site
Handy pumps exist for one main reason — they let contractors deal with nuisance water immediately. This is water that isn't part of an engineered dewatering system, but still gets in the way of progress.
On civil sites, handy pumps are most commonly used for:
These are short-duration tasks where speed matters more than capacity. A handy pump allows crews to remove the water, complete the job, and move on — without over-engineering the solution.
Find out more about civil dewatering solutions.
Handy pumps are designed for short duration, nuisance water tasks — the kind that sit outside formal dewatering systems but still need to be dealt with quickly to keep work moving.
On civil sites, these pumps are typically used to remove small volumes of water with minimal setup, often in locations where access is limited or conditions change quickly. A well-designed handy pump is suited to:
Because these pumps are used for small, reactive jobs, reliability matters more than outright performance. They need to start easily, tolerate inconsistent water levels, and operate without constant attention.
Explore our range of small submersible handy pumps.
A range of handy centrifugal, trash and diaphragm pumps ready for site deployment.
No single handy pump suits every site condition, with designs trading off speed, solids handling, and access.
|
Pump type |
Typical use |
Water quality |
Solids handling |
Deployment speed |
| Small submersible pumps |
Trenches, pits, |
Clean to lightly contaminated |
Limited |
Very fast |
| Puddle pumps |
Shallow pooling, |
Mostly clean |
Minimal |
Very fast |
| Flexi-drive pumps |
Tight access, |
Clean to moderately dirty |
Limited |
Fast |
| Diaphragm pumps |
Dirty water, |
Heavily contaminated |
High |
Moderate |
| Trash pumps |
General site clean- |
Dirty water |
Medium to high |
Fast |
Often referred to as contractor pumps, these are typically two inch small submersible pumps used for nuisance water in trenches, pits, and general clean-up.
Puddle pumps, or puddle suckers, are a specialised type of small submersible designed to pump down to very low water levels for final clean-up tasks.
Flexi-drive pumps suit sites with limited access or uneven ground, allowing the pump end to reach awkward areas.
Diaphragm pumps and trash pumps are used where water quality is poor and solids are present — tolerating contamination that would damage standard submersibles.
If you're weighing up options, read our blog on choosing the right submersible pump for your site.
Pump terminology is often used loosely on site, which can create confusion.
Portable can mean many things in pumping. An eight inch pump on a trailer is technically portable, but in practice, handy pumps sit at the other end of the scale. They're portable to the point that transportation isn't even a consideration — grab-and-go pumps which can be lifted, carried, and deployed by one or two people as part of normal site work.
For most contractors, a two to three inch handy pump is a standard piece of kit that typically weighs around 15-30kg. These pumps are light enough to move easily, yet capable enough to deal with everyday nuisance water.
The term contractor pump is more specific. On site, it usually refers to a small submersible pump in this size range, used for nuisance or residual water rather than larger, engineered dewatering applications. Keeping that distinction clear helps crews choose the right pump for the task.
Check out our practical tips for site dewatering with submersible pumps.
A handy diaphragm pump removing sediment and debris from an excavation.
Handy pumps are judged by how they perform on site, not by brochure numbers or marketing claims — especially when conditions are unpredictable.
At Prime Fluid Management, we offer a wide range of small portable pumps because contractors use them in different ways, from one-off clean-ups to shared fleet equipment.
In both cases, expectations stay the same — the pump works when needed and can be serviced quickly.
A compact handy submersible pump removing nuisance water from a trench.
Small water issues only become problems when they slow work down. Handy pumps won't solve every water challenge, but when used for the right tasks, they stop minor concerns from turning into major delays.
They're practical tools for real-world conditions — fast to access, simple to deploy, and tough enough to handle site realities. Picking the right pump comes down to how it'll actually be used, not how it looks on paper.
At Prime Fluid, we help contractors select handy pumps based on site behaviour, water conditions, and speed of response — to keep productivity moving when water turns up uninvited.