Bhubaneswar, Dec 6: Grundfos and eKutir launched their unique mobile water purification in Bhubaneshwar yesterday. This first-of-a-kind system was inaugurated the Honourable Minister of Law and Panchayat Raj, Government of Odisha, Mr. Arun Kumar Sahoo.
The mobile water purification unit based on solutions from Grundfos Lifelink, comprises of a pre-treatment unit, AQpure (UF & UV based water treatment system) that will travel to certain identified rural pockets near Bhubaneshwar, to treat the surface water / bore well water and convert it into safe and clean drinking water. The purified water will then be dispensed employing the Grundfos Water ATM (AQtap) at an affordable price to the rural communities.
According to a recent study in India, more than 97 million people lack access to safe drinking water. The World Bank estimates that 21% of communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water. Lack of access to reliable water supply is prevalent in both urban and rural areas in the country. The Grundfos Lifelink water solutions empowers water service providers to provide a more reliable water supply to consumers with the help of innovative technology through reliable partnerships across India. It can apply to small or large water schemes, be it in rural or urban settings, for water utilities, NGOs and community based organizations.
Grundfos Lifelink water solutions are designed to strengthen the quality, reliability and sustainability of drinking water supply in the developing world. It’s a result of years of field studies and research grasping how to solve the fundamental challenges in water projects: issues of collecting revenues (to keep down Non-Revenue-Water), access to service and maintenance, lack of transparency and inefficiencies in water service management or sheer lack of electric power to transport water. Lifelink solutions combine renewable energy, proven pump technology, an automatic dispenser with integrated revenue collection, online water management and a professional service network. On top of Technology and Service, Lifelink solutions also build on Partnerships across sectors and Business model know-how
Peter Todbjerg Hansen, Managing Director of the Grundfos Lifelink business, says “It is gratifying to see Grundfos and eKutir partner to come up with this unique mobile water purification system that enables access to clean and safe drinking water to the rural communities at compelling price. It is our express belief that such unique and sustainable water purification solutions will ensure optimal utilisation of the system, extended outreach to rural masses, enhanced health and also support the business to flourish. We believe in the co-operation between technology leaders and local entrepreneurs to implement innovative solutions and make a difference for people with little or no access to clean drinking water. We look forward to partnering with government and private sectors to deploy our proven solutions in India”.
Rangarajan Ramaswamy, Regional Business Director of Grundfos Lifelink – India & Bangladesh, said “Access to water and specifically clean drinking water is a growing issue in the developing countries. There is a huge stress on ground water as well due to over exploitation. Many Indian states are blessed with significant surface water bodies that can be harnessed and treated to supply clean and safe drinking water for the masses. A revolutionary concept like this mobile water purification unit is an appropriate and cost effective solution, which will support rural and tribal communities to have access to safe and clean drinking water at an affordable price. The Grundfos Water ATM, AQtap, is another effective solution that helps reduce the commercial Non revenue water, ensures transparent transactions and also aligns with the Indian Government’s digital push by employing smart card based water dispensing. We are confident that the Grundfos Lifelink solutions will be successful as they are the link to more sustainable energy and water service models, thanks to the use of solar power coupled with intelligent water management.”
- C. Mishra, Founder & Director, eKutir said, “Water affects all of us. Each of us should be a responsible Water Citizen and take care of the water cycle starting from conservation to the rational utilisation of water. The availability of clean drinking water is a growing crisis and many people do not have access to it. SVADHA, a social business outfit of eKutir is trying to make safe water available to all the communities at their doorstep. We are encouraging Panipreneurs by making available the latest technology from the reputed company like Grundfos. Our mission for Odisha is to establish a Water Brigade to provide sustainable drinking water solutions to all the communities of the society. eKutir needs all the responsible Water Citizen of the country, be it corporate or private to work together to build an inclusive market for the people of Odisha”.
