Housing societies tap innovative ways to get out of troubled waters this summer
As India readies for a long and hot summer, apartment complexes across the country are adopting new ways to save water: smart water meters, aerators, and water-generating units.
In India, summer is synonymous with water crisis. And, mismanaged resources, erratic weather conditions, and lack of proper infrastructure are adding to existing woes. A recent report released by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) shows that dry weather is likely to persist in the country from March. This means that water woes are going to continue.
The water shortage in reservoirs combined with rapid ground water depletion in cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai has led people in many apartment complexes to depend on water tankers for their daily needs.
However, many residential colonies across India are now implementing certain unique methods to save water. Be it installing smart water meters and aerators, or purchasing water-generating units, people are adopting innovative ways to conserve this most precious resource.
Smart water meters to the rescue
A smart water meter installed at a housing society in Bengaluru.
SVR Samruddhi, an apartment complex situated at Electronic City in Bengaluru, was paying Rs 38,000 per month to get water tankers. But now, it has brought this spend down to Rs 31,000, thanks to the smart water meters installed across 30 apartments in the complex.
Pradeep S, Treasurer, Samruddhi Owners Association, tells YourStory, “We installed these meters in December 2018, and the results were almost instantaneous. In a span of two months, we observed over 60 percent reduction in water consumption. The most useful feature of this smart meter is the real-time water usage data it provides. This ensures that people are aware of the amount of water they consume, leading to more cautious utilisation.”
The water meters, manufactured by SmarterHomes, a Bengaluru-based company, are sold at a one-time cost of Rs 1,800, which includes installation charges. This is followed by a monthly maintenance charge of Rs 90.
Since its launch in 2017, SmarterHomes claims to have sold 16,000 water meters across Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Pune, and to have helped 23,500 residents prevent wastage of water. The water meter, which consists of a data logger that runs on an in-built software, allows residents to track the consumption of water in their household through a mobile application called Water On.
“Apart from churning out data and displaying monthly water bills, the app raises an alert via an SMS whenever there is a leakage in the faucet. This way, the person can immediately act on it and save water,” says Vivek Shukla, CEO and Co-founder, SmarterHomes.
Tap aerators do the trick
Water aerators regulate the flow of water in taps.
Bhondve Empire, a residential colony located in Ravet, Pune, was able to save a substantial amount of water after tap aerators were fixed in 114 flats in August 2018.
A tap aerator is a simple device that can be fixed at the mouth of a faucet or inside the spout. The device, which comes with a mesh screen, splits the flow of water into multiple small streams by adding air in between, which results in reducing the volume of water flowing from the tap.
“After fixing aerators in the kitchen taps as well as washrooms, our water bill reduced by Rs 2,500 every month. On an average, the entire colony has observed a 25 percent reduction in water usage. Not only do we manage to save water, but we also minimise splashing in sinks,” explains Tejas Deshpande, Committee Member, Bhondve Empire Housing Society.
Aerators are very light on the pocket, and are available in India in the range of Rs 150 to Rs 650.
Generating water within closed doors
Several residential colonies across India are purchasing water-generation units.
And in Chennai, The Elbow Engineers has developed a device that can convert water vapour in the atmosphere into pure water.
Jyothsna Kumar, Co-founder, The Elbow Engineers, says, “We launched in December 2017, and since then around 400 households in the city have purchased our device. The device is capable of producing 15 to 20 litres of water per day at a one-time cost of around Rs 20,000.”
The device, which measures 3 feet by 1.5 feet, consists of a series of chambers, and runs on patented technology. The device sucks the humidity in the atmosphere, cools the water molecules, and converts them into water. The water then undergoes a four-stage filtration process where ultraviolet particles, colour, odour, and other impurities are removed, and clean water is produced.
As housing societies and residents think of ways to conserve water, installing these gadgets might help them save water as well as overcome the water crisis this summer.
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