When Dr. Vibha Tripathi, an ex IITian was disturbed by the water woes people were facing in her community, she instantly swung into action. With the help of her son, Advait Kumar, a Penn State University graduate with a specialization in Electrical Engineering, she combined Internet of Things technology with solar energy to develop clean drinking water solutions in the form of Water ATMs.

The duo founded Swajal Pvt Ltd based in Gurugram that provided clean drinking water for Re 1 per glass and Ra 5 per litre. Swajal Water ATMs can be found at stores, railway stations, cities, metro stations, hospitals, schools and more.

Modern Technology

Dr Tripathi said that they maintained tight control on manufacturing which enabled them to innovate and increase the efficiency of the ATMs manifold. The system is constantly updated and has remote accessibility via cloud systems. With the help of solar energy, water is pumped from rivers, wells, ponds or groundwater and is then treated with UV light and ozone generator. There is also a provision to desalinise water. To minimize water wastage, the rejected water from the system is stored in the tank and used by villages for cleaning, washing and irrigation.

Smart Cards

One can get access to Swajal’s clean drinking water by inserting coins or rechargeable smart cards. In places like Karimabad village in Uttar Pradesh and Unnao in Rajasthan, people can buy clean drinking water for as low as 50 paisa for a litre. Schools are provided with these water purifiers through donations. This has brought about a positive change in the lives of many, much to the satisfaction of its founders.

Swajal was also recognized by the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as 'Champions of Change' by Niti Aayog.

Image Source: Devdiscourse