Providing access to potable water to Urban & rural Indians

The solution is to provide affordable, durable, low-tech, activated carbon and colloidal silver-enhanced water filter to millions who are deprived of safe-drinking water. This will decrease the rate of death and illness caused by contaminated water and objects to provide a source of income to marginalized groups by employing them

Most water sources in India are contaminated by sewage and agricultural runoff. India has made progress in the supply of safe water, but gross disparity in coverage still exists. The World-Bank estimates 21% communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water. Diarrhoea alone causes more than 1,600 deaths daily the same as eight 200-person jumbo-jets crashed to the ground every day. The market is flooded with filters that promise pure water by employing UV-based technologies(RO). But something is wrong. These systems are meant for a select few and a definite misfit in the milieu of urban and rural poor.

The project currently has pooled in local potters to make the clay filter(receptacles). People from diverse background are interested in joining the project because of the potential scalability, sustainability and replicability.

The project has got global recognition. My team and I represented India at the (Singapore International Foundation’s) Young social entrepreneur’s competition held on 18th March 2017.Our project was also a Semi-finalist in the Chancellors challenge initiated by my university (NMIMS). Top 50 of 3500 applicants for Collective Global Accelerator programme (London) 2017.And were also the Semifinalist at 3M CII Young Innovators Challenge(India) 2017.

Project solves three problems at the same time. Through introduction of our water filter we aim to achieve access to clean water. It objects to decrease the rate of death and illness caused by contaminated water. Many social projects fail because of lack of involvement of local communities. Our focus would also be to impact local communities (women resident dealers) by making them agents of change, thus creating employment in the value chain. The project also decreases waste going into landfills as the filters are made from local clay and waste raw materials like rice husks or used coffee grounds. 

Quarterly Health reports of families and findings from hospitals on diarrhoeal cases through sample survey - To Reduce diseases and health problems caused by contaminated water within Maharashtra(India) and other neighbouring states by reaching out to 50,00,000 people by 2022

School reports (number of water related health cases)and attendance from school heads - To decrease out of school cases of children because of unsafe water

Study increased economic gain and productivity

Calculating economic performance measurement by developing Uthaana apps. - To empower and employee 20 potters and 40 women resident dealers from marginalized community. Thus by Improving the quality of life and standard of living

The filters have triple filtration process (colloidal silver, Activated carbon and Filtwell taps). Since these are made of Clay and Used raw-materials. It makes it affordable to buy at a nominal price of Rs.400 (Less than 6 dollars). Making it unique for the BoP customers.

Our USP is not just its Pricing, but also the weight as it is not bulky and easily accessible to remote areas and functioning as it is household point of use treatment (people don’t have to fight over common used systems). We believe, clean water shouldn’t be a luxury which only a few can afford

The project involves potters from marginalized communities who are losing their job because of the dying art of pottery. This project engages them in making clay filters in-turn providing them an employment opportunity.50% of water projects fail because of lack of involvement of the communities in the project. With this understanding Uthaana aims to encompass community participation by collaborating with village heads (Panchas). Wherein we train and employ local community leaders (resident dealers) espec

ially women, as agents of change. These women will become distribution channel for our product which will help in making the project more sustainable and viable.

Along with women resident dealers another distribution channel in the
project pipeline would be employees from nearby corporates who will be pooled in for awareness generation and distribution activities under their employee engagement programmes (CSR). The key of the project is a social mission which will be achieved by keeping the cost of the filters low. Since the target audience is the bottom of the pyramid consumers, we aim
to make it more affordable by sourcing local material which will bring down the final cost of the product.

Our initial plan is to create pitch decks to approach investors for seed funding and built a minimum viable product (MVP) for the Project website. We will map possible angel investors to invest initial 10- 12 lakhs worth of project costs. Along with revenue through sale of filters our aim is to start an income model to sustain the project by making and selling other clay products like Diyas (lanterns), which have high demand in the Indian market and can be sold at premium price. Revenue will also be generated by charging fees for workshops by teaching common people the art of making diyas, pots and filters and thus reviving the dying art . 

1. The biggest limtation will be to spread awareness among people about the importance of clean drinking water. They are accustomed to their lifestyle - even though they spend a lot of sick days , yet there's a resistance to something new. But we will try to change that through awareness campaigns and with the help of media.

2. Risk of unauthorised sellers (as they may purchase in bulk and sell it at higher costs).

3. Private corporations with sizeable capital can replicate the product idea and enter the market.

I am appplying to Solve with a self interest of changing the world one step at a time. Solve community will help me to reflect, re-invent and experience work from a whole new perspective. The knowledge and experience which will be garnered from different business leaders, mentors will assist me to go one step further in implementing the project. Through networking and partnership, it will aid in understanding how to build capacities for the project. The project could involve passionate people who are empathetic towards this ambitious aim of providing access to safe water.

The project currently has pooled in local potters to make the clay filter(receptacles).We have also partnered with microbiologist from the university wing to test the potability of water.

Acuro, Tata swach, Nari, Jal samadhan, Shuddhu