There are generally two types of water pumps. Different in design and application they each basically serve the same purpose, which is to move water from point A to point B.

The first type of pump is the centrifugal design. This type uses a rotating impeller to draw water into the pump and pressurize the discharge flow. Common types include standard above ground and submersible models.

The second type of pump is the positive displacement design, the most common of which is the diaphram type. These pumps deliver a fixed amount of flow per cycle through the mechanical contraction and expansion of a flexible diaphragm.