Do You Know? This Maharashtra Village Produces 500 Litres of Drinking Water From Air

The water shortage in Wadji village in the Washim district of Maharashtra is being solved with atmospheric water generation.

This village has set up a Meghdoot machine, which can produce 500 liters of purified water in one day by harvesting water from the air.

It has been developed by the scientists of CSIR IICT Hyderabad in collaboration with Maithri Aquatech. This solution is meant to provide an alternative source of drinking water for the community whose people used to travel a distance of 1.5 kilometers to fetch it.

Key Details About Maharashtra Village Produces Drinking Water From Air

Village Name: Wadji
District: Washim, Maharashtra
Population of Village: Around 2,000 as per some reports
Technology Used: Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG)
Name of the System: Meghdoot
Reported Daily Capacity Generation: Around 500 liters
Research Institution : CSIR–Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad
Industry Partner: Maithri Aquatech
Main Objective: Improve access to drinking water amid local shortages

Why was Meghdoot introduced in Wadji village?

It is located in Risod taluka of the district of Washim in the state of Maharashtra, the Wadji village has always had problems with drinking water.

As per reports, people used to travel about 1-1.5 km to collect water, with the condition worsening during summers.

The problem of stress on groundwater is also there in the region as a whole. As per a report published by The Times of India mentions that as per the Central Ground Water Board’s assessment indicates that almost 40 villages of Risod taluka are semi-critical groundwater zones.

In order to increase the availability of drinking water, the Wadji Gram Panchayat helped install a Meghdoot atmospheric water generator in the village. This unit is set up at the Zilla Parishad Primary School and Anganwadi of the village and provides drinking water to children and villagers alike.

It has been reported that Wadji village is the first and only village in Maharashtra using this technology. The daily yield capacity is approximately 500 liters. However, the yield depends on the local climate and machine efficiency.

What is Meghdoot Technology?`

Meghdoot technology is an Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) system that collects moisture from the air and turns it into water. This technology was created with the help of the CSIR-IICT and Maithri Aquatech partnership.

CSIR-IICT stands for the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research; it is a research institute situated in the country of India. The researchers established a cooperation with Maithri Aquatech for the production of atmospheric water and water purification technology.

The purpose of the mentioned technology is to create a source of water in places where there are not enough traditional sources of water. It has also found use in many other places, like train stations.

Atmospheric Water Generator Mechanism

The mechanism relies on a principle that resembles condensation in nature. This means extracting moisture from air and treating it to provide drinkable water.

Air extraction: Air enters the machine with the help of fans.
Air filtration: Filters eliminate foreign particles from the air.
Cooling and condensation: The air cools down while passing over the surfaces, and when it reaches dew point, the water vapor condenses to form drops of water.
Water purification: The water undergoes several stages of purification, including sediment and activated carbon filtration and UV disinfection.
Mineralization: This stage depends on the type of device used.
Water storage and dispensation: The purified water goes through the storage chamber and is then dispensed.

What factors affect its water production?

The water production of an air-water generating machine depends on various factors,

Relative humidity: Higher humidity levels allow for harvesting more water.
Temperature: Temperature influences air humidity as well as the condensation process.
Power supply: It is necessary to supply electricity in order for the cooling system to work.
Maintenance: All the parts of the machine need to be maintained.

Thus, it is wrong to assume that a device with a production capacity of 500 liters per day will be able to produce such an amount of water in all conditions.

Who invented the technology?

The Meghdoot technology is a joint venture of CSIR-IICT in Hyderabad and Maithri Aquatech, which is engaged in the development of systems that generate water from the atmosphere.

CSIR-IICT provides scientific studies and knowledge about the treatment of water, whereas Maithri Aquatech designs and delivers Meghdoot systems. The technology involves atmospheric condensation to offer an alternative way of providing drinking water by avoiding extraction of water directly from groundwater and surface water bodies.