While using recycled water for washing or cleaning is quite the norm, most people never think of potability reuse. They always assume that recycled water is purely for secondary use. Fact is, waste water if properly treated is clean and can be used for all purposes, including drinking.
Bengaluru-based water utility startup Boson White Water (BWW) is showing the way forward. It has an IoT-based platform that converts sewage treatment plant (STP)-treated water to potable water, thereby increasing your water availability and ensuring sustainable water management.
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“BWW converts water from sewage treatment plants into potable high quality water that can be used for household purposes, centralised air conditioning in commercial buildings, and even for drinking,” says the company co-founder, Vikas Brahmavar. “Our 11-stage filtration process is designed to reduce the various physical, chemical and biological contaminants present in the treated wastewater. The IoT platform uses AI algorithms to detect various anomalies like filtration efficiencies, variation in life of filters and pump failures. These datasets help in managing inventories and manpower better.”
At present, the installed capacity of Boson White Water system is about 34 crore litres of water per year, projected to touch 50 crore litre of water savings soon. It is targeting 500 crore litres over the next three years. “For a country that faces severe water shortage year after year, wastewater holds great potential to address water scarcity in our cities. Today we have changed the way industries, IT parks, malls, and apartment communities recycle their wastewater. Everyday, Bengaluru produces about 1400 million litres of wastewater and a majority of it ends up in our drains and lakes,” says Brahmavar.
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Under the BWW model, customers only have to pay for recycled water which costs less than a tanker water. Installation and operational costs are absorbed by BWW. This business model helps IT parks, malls and apartment complexes significantly reduce their dependence on tanker water. “We are looking to collaborate with eligible apartment associations to set up the most advanced water reclamation system from their existing STP treated water. There is no investment to be done by the apartment, only space and power to be provided and the system will be set up on lease and the cost of lease will be lesser than the cost of purchasing water,” he explains. “In other words, we can make your building sustainable in terms of water management.”
