Are You Creating A Positive Water Impact?
India recently signed a $175 million loan pact with the World Bank for National Hydrology Project that aims to improve management of water resources. The project will strengthen the capacity of institutions to assess the water situation in their regions and reduce their vulnerability to recurring flood and droughts, saving hundreds of lives and livelihoods.
According to a recent global study by Ipsos, over half of Indians polled (53%) said they were concerned that waste water in their country posed a threat to clean water supply. The concern is increasing over time; with 59% Indians stating they were worried that residential and industrial development in the next 5 to 10 years would put their clean water supply at greater risk.
Globally, confidence levels too were found to be shaky: only 34% (one in three) respondents said that they were confident that waste water did not pose a threat to clean water supply.
To conserve water on an individual level, a team of passionate bikers have started Express Bike Works (EBW) a two-wheeler service center. Conventionally, bike wash and service centers in India use more than 50 liters of water per bike and let the water run out on the streets adding to the sludge. This water is also hazardous, both to the washer as well as to the environment, because it is mixed with hard chemicals used in washing. EBW is working towards changing the dynamics of the bike servicing industry and have designed, developed and manufactured a machine which washes a bike in 2 minutes and uses only 10 liters of water per bike. The used water is constantly recycled up to the level that it can no longer get recycled and then the waste water is used for gardening purpose around the outlets. The sludge generated from the bike wash is also used for gardening purpose. The chemical used for washing are environment friendly so that the waste water and the sludge can be reused.
ThinkPhi’s flagship product, Ulta Chaata, is an integrated system for clean water, energy, shade and delivering returns in less than 1 year. It provides up to 100,000 litres of drinking water annually and generates a maximum solar capacity of 1.5 KW. It is also the most networked umbrella in the world with in-built computer and battery back-up up to 72 hours. An Ulta Chaata shows returns 5x faster than conventional Green Tech. A team of only 4 engineers built the first connected umbrella.
“Government and private sector organizations aligning their strategies to reach the prescribed United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and waste water treatment to achieve Sustainable Development Goal, notwithstanding, most global citizens, including Indians lack confidence in today’s waste water treatment systems,” said Parijat Chakraborty, Head of Ipsos Public Affairs in India.
Serbia is most concerned about risk posed by waste water to clean water supply with 64% respondents feeling it. Mexico and Columbia were tied at the 2nd spot with 60%; and India in the 3rd spot with 53%.
SmarterHomes Technologies, a Bangalore based automation startup provides smart water metering solutions to housing societies. Famed author James Harrington mentioned, “Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement.” SmarterHomes’ core product ‘WaterOn’ measures, monitors and controls water consumption in individual apartments. Without metering there is no incentive for anyone to save water. Research has proven that water consumption drops by upto 35% through metering.
Most housing complexes do not meter the water consumption of residents individually. Instead, the residents are charged a fixed flat rate. The individual consumptions are never equal which results in most residents paying for others’ consumption as well. This makes people insensitive towards water wastage in their homes.
With an increasing demand, water is a fast-diminishing natural resource. The imbalance of availability and demand leads to disputes. Water crisis in India is increasing at an alarming rate. On one hand we need a greater resolve to save water but on the other hand we need technology to save water.
As the issue of water scarcity is looming over metropolitans and many other cities and rural areas, it is important for us to take a serious note of this impending crisis and work towards creating a better place for ourselves and for future generations.
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The CSR Journal Team
