It’s been four years since the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) started its pilot water ATM project in West Delhi’s Savda Ghevra, where users can withdraw water through these water ATMs using a smart Sarvajal card at 30 paise per litre. These machines were installed by Piramal Foundation, the philanthropic branch of Piramal Group.
Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is the primary provider of water supply services to citizens, including the poor and marginalized sections, within the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Due to unplanned and unauthorized growth of the city, a host of informal settlements including resettlement colonies, urban villages, rural villages, Jhuggi-Jhopdi clusters, and unauthorized colonies have sprung up. People residing in these areas do not have piped water supply.
Potable water is arranged by the vendor through installation of an RO plant. DJB provides the tubewell or space for tubewell through which groundwater is drawn by the vendor. This raw water then passes through the RO plant for treatment, after which it is transferred to the water ATMs for dispensing.
The treatment procedure consists of pre-filtration processing, after which water passes through a micro-filtration cartridge. The water is then pumped in through the RO unit filtration using high pressure. The last part of the treatment includes disinfection using ultraviolet rays.
The automated units work as cashless vending machines, where each customer uses a smart card to draw water from it. The DJB has sanctioned RO plants in 29 locations across the city and commissioned a total of 50 water ATMs that have been installed in these areas.
Savda Ghevra, Narela, Holambi Kalan, Batla House, 5/35 Kirti Nagar, Dwarka Sector 3 are some of the locations where these ATMs have been installed. These RO plants and ATMs are being maintained by Piramal Water Pvt Ltd, Tata Power DDL, and Water Health India Pvt Ltd.RO plants and ATMs are being maintained by Piramal Water Pvt Ltd, Tata Power DDL, and Water Health India Pvt Ltd.
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