Solar Water Pumps – What are they? A solar water pump is a small, electric-powered machine that pumps groundwater or surface water. It can be plugged into any wall socket and will automatically start working when the sun shines on it (or at night if there’s no sunlight). Water pumping equipment has traditionally been powered by fossil fuels such as oil or gas. The use of solar energy to produce clean drinking water from saltwater sources provides an eco-friendly alternative