The elevated barrel usually indicates that water pressure is only sometimes available.
For example, the available pump might be solar powered and batteryless, or just a manual hand pump.
In either case, the water being elevated allows people to use the shower even when the pump cannot operate - at night, if solar, or just some people don’t have the physical fitness to operate some hand pumps.
Edit: All of that to agree - this setup is typically awkward as fuck.
Edit 2: Also, the barrel can also serve to warm the water from frigid underground running water temperatures up to “water that has been sitting in the sunlight” temperatures.
Oh, I know this one.
The elevated barrel usually indicates that water pressure is only sometimes available.
For example, the available pump might be solar powered and batteryless, or just a manual hand pump.
In either case, the water being elevated allows people to use the shower even when the pump cannot operate - at night, if solar, or just some people don’t have the physical fitness to operate some hand pumps.
Edit: All of that to agree - this setup is typically awkward as fuck.
Edit 2: Also, the barrel can also serve to warm the water from frigid underground running water temperatures up to “water that has been sitting in the sunlight” temperatures.
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