Water ‘ATM’ - ₹2 - 250ml of Clean Water

March 27, 2017

What happens in a society where people can access water the way money is accessed through an ATM? According to this startup from Lucknow, something like that would considerably reduce our collective carbon footprint.

Decentrik Technologies has developed a mobile water ‘ATM’ called Waah, through which people can drink up to 250 ml of water for just ₹2. It doesn’t look much different from the kind of small tempos one might see on the roads, but on the side is a water dispenser along with taps that allow people to access it.

It also provides re-usable and recycled paper glasses that can be used for drinking.

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Photo source: Facebook

The startup is hoping Waah helps reduce people’s dependability on pre-packaged water in plastic containers. According to the company, one Waah unit is enough to prevent the accumulation of approx 1,550-3,500 kg of plastic waste annually.

And apart from cutting down plastic pollution, it also makes safe drinking water more accessible to people from all sections of society.

The company notes that it is hoping these ATMs address the gap between expensive bottled water and the cheap plastic pouches that do not necessarily provide clean water and also add to plastic waste in the process.

In fact, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, is betting big on the promise of this startup. The institute has announced that it will be providing the company with a seed fund of ₹50 lakh, so the company can expand its operations while also following the standards set up by the World Health Organisation. The company has also signed a deal with Indian Oil to install its RO systems in petrol bunks in the city.