NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations

Safe Drinking Water ATM at Panrutti village under Kandigai Panchayat, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu,

Village Panruti is in Sriperumbudur Block in Kanchipuram District of Tamil Nadu State. It is located 25 KM towards East from District Head Quarters Kanchipuram, 13 KM from Sriperumbudur, 53 KM from the State capital Chennai. The local Language is Tamil, although some of them understand English.

GOAL

The habitants of Panruti Village did not have access to safe drinking water facility having good taste inside their settlements. They used to travel a km to a private drinking water facility which charged Rs.30 per 20L of water. This project aims to bring safe and affordable drinking water to the residents of this village. This treatment facility will purify the source water, making it safe to drink and will also improve the taste of the water. In turn this will help in improving the health and well-being of the target population. The awareness program associated with the project will alert people about the importance of clean and safe drinking water, especially the school children. In a way this would be a nucleus for a number of water related awakening and dialogue, particularly, women and children, who are the most vulnerable with respect to water related issues.

Objectives:

Project implementation, Strategy and activities:

Impact of the project


Goals of the project:
I. An appropriate solution by utilizing a suitable technology for providing good quality safe drinking water.
II. In the absence of perennial source of surface water at or near the site, the underground water has been used.
III. The scale of application is 15000 liters drinking water per day.
IV. The local people without higher education or training can manage these facilities after short term post-installation training.
V. Initially, IAESPH would manage the plant for demonstrating the project and for hand holding. Thus, local employment and local entrepreneurship would be supported.
VI. The mode of distribution has been worked out through interaction with the local community and panchayat. The simplest way is to fill the potable water in a clean 20-liter HDPE jar or a clean vessel of 10 liters capacity and sell to the village consumers at a nominal cost.
VII. Automatic dispensers with RFID card has been installed in consultation with the panchayat and the community. After commissioning of the plant it has been observed that the cards are preferred by the community over use of coins.
VIII. The project had in-built provision of IEC (information, education and communication) to sensitize the local community regarding the benefits and importance of potable water for the benefit of their health.
IX. The aim of this project is to showcase appropriate systems which can be rapidly replicated for the benefit of the rural population.
X. The project will also showcase how such facilities can be seamlessly managed by the local community through a cooperative society or SHG (self-help group).

Genesis and Action plan:

After initial deliberations between Hapag-Lloyd Global Services Pvt. Ltd. and International Academy of Environmental Sanitation and Public Health (IAESPH) both agreed to collaborate for setting up of the water treatment plant funded by Hapag-Lloyd Global Services Pvt. Ltd. under their CSR activities. After water quality assessment of the selected water source by comprehensive analyses, Panruti village in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu was identified as the potential site to set up the proposed water treatment plant. The plant is housed in a permanent structure on the land provided by the Panchayat.

IAESPH would make the operational arrangements during the first 3 months for regular quality check of the source water and the product, which has to be compliant with the relevant IS code (IS 10500: 2012). Later the concerned beneficiary group will have to follow up. IAESPH will also provide training of selected persons for operation and maintenance of the plant. Ultimately IAESPH aims at handing over of the facility to the Gram Panchayat for operation and maintenance. Funds required for operation and maintenance and any repair / replacement will be managed by selling safe drinking water at a reasonable rate. Price of water can be fixed in consultation with the concerned Local authority, which the consumers (community) would pay when they pick up the 10 or 20 liter bottles of the drinking water from the plant. Alternatively, the bottled water can be delivered at the homes for an additional charge.

The plant was inaugurated on 20th May, 2022 by Mr. Satchidanand Sharma, Managing Director, Hapag-Lloyd Global Services Pvt. Ltd and Mr. Frank Westerweck, Director, Hapag Lloyd GSCM in the presence of the Leadership Team from Hapag-Lloyd, Senior officials of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, IAESPH, Mr. K. Arjunan, Panchayat President, Ward Members and large number of villagers.