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In August 2018, the Delhi High Court reportedly asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) why it did not provide free drinking water to all commuters when metros in other cities were managing to do it. Today, the DMRC has managed to bridge the problem with the help of companies that focus purely on providing drinking water free or at the cheapest rate — charging only for the recyclable paper cup if people do not bring their own bottle or mug. Pi-Lo Shudh Pani Seva Foundation, in fact, is one of the companies which provides drinking water at 45 metro stations, dispensing 2500 litres a day and going forward will be servicing 99 stations.
Doing it differently
Pi-Lo does not fetch water from outside; purifies DMRC’s internal water supply, recycling it to provide pure drinking water through its Smart Water ATMs. “The technology used is based on reverse osmosis and ultraviolet purification and ensures 95 per cent plus recovery of water less the 5 per cent wastage,” explains Jatin Kumar, Director at Pi-Lo.
Apart from the metros, the foundation serves free water at Delhi’s historical monuments and other tourist destinations. This includes Qutub Minar, Old Fort, Red Fort, Safdarjung Tomb and some of the city’s hospitals and religious places. The company’s Smart Water ATM mostly uses unprocessed groundwater, which is passed through the process of integrated filtration via the RO mechanism. The filtered water is retained in a chiller tank where its temperature is maintained as required and can be drawn by consumers through a push button or by inserting a coin or card.
While Pi-Lo is now in expansion mode, the foundation was started in 2015 by co-founders Dinesh Goyal and Jatin Kumar. It now operates in 12 cities spread across several States. “The idea was to provide pure drinking water where there was scarcity of it,” says Kumar. A single water ATM treats 500 litres of water on an hourly basis. Being one of the first movers in water purification and with its technology approved by the government, Pi-Lo has added other products and technologies to its portfolio. So, apart from smart ATMs, many of which are solar-based, it has also installed hand-washing units.
Pi-Lo also offers sewage treatment plant (STP) technology to target domestic and institutional needs. “We have installed one of our STPs in an ashram in Rishikesh. The system helps in reducing water wastage and helps to preserve water,” informs Kumar.
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