Water is a big crisis in today’s world. It doesn’t matter where you live or how lavishly you live; you are going to face the brunt of the water crisis now or at some point in the future.
The problem remains acute in India and the crisis is only growing. Despite relying on a variety of water resources like rivers, above ground storage structures and groundwater, we are still not able to provide sufficient water to the people of this country to meet their daily requirements. According to a report published by WaterAid, a global advocacy group on water and sanitation, India has 63.4 million people living in rural areas without access to clean water, more than any other country. The figures are part of ‘Wild Water, State of the World’s Water 2017’, a report by WaterAid. That is more than the combined population of Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand. Compared globally, that is as many people as who live in Australia, Sweden, Sri Lanka and Bulgaria–combined.
A new idea is born…
Meet Navkaran Singh Bagga, and a second-generation entrepreneur and the Director of Trishan Exports Pvt. Ltd. He was one of the many individuals in the country who was very disturbed by the water crisis we are facing. Since we have already explored our option on and below the ground, Mr. Bagga came up with an ingenious idea; Why not extract water from above?
Thus, AKVO- Atmospheric Water Systems Pvt. Ltd. was born. In an inspired solution to water shortage, this technology simply extracts water vapor from the air and condenses it into liquid form.
Aside from glaciers, the most abundant source of freshwater is actually in the atmosphere. There’s approximately 3100 cubic miles (mi3) or 12,900 cubic kilometers (km3) of water in the atmosphere. Water vapor is an unlimited resource constantly replenished by nature’s hydrologic cycle.
AKVO AWG replicates the natural process of condensation by simulating the dew point, which allows it to make water continuously using plug and play method. AKVO AWG machines can generate water entirely depending on the level of humidity and atmospheric temperature which is ideal for Indian conditions for AWG machines to function to its optimum level.
AKVO AWG (Atmospheric Water Generators) machines are also a solution to the sustainability of the planet! This technology will allows us to rely less on the groundwater, resulting in better baseflow into rivers, replenishment of wetland areas, protection from liquefaction accidents and ensuring further autonomy in the access to water resources for every household in the country.
AKVO AWG: A Better Alternative…
This product overcomes some of the major drawbacks in the current purification process of the products available in the market. RO systems in the market today have two major drawbacks; one, the water purified by them does not contain enough minerals to support the human body and two, the water wasted in the RO process is immense. This waste water contains a very high concentration of salts that cannot be used by plants or animals for drinking. As it runs into the sewage and then into water bodies, this water simply increases the salt concertation of the water body it ends up in.
This water generator involves no water wastage at all. The water extracted can be stored and utilized for consumption after minerals are added to it to bring it up to drinking standards. Since minerals are separately added to virtually distilled water, we can ensure that the water is healthy with the right balance and amount of minerals.
Is this water safe, you ask?
After extensive testing, the water produced from these generators agree very well with the standards set by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The tests were also agreeable with the standards set by ISO 10500, 2012 (2nd revision) and has been marked safe for drinking.
| Sr. No. | TEST PARAMETERS | AKVO RESULT | BIS LIMIT |
| 1 | Arsenic | < 0.001 | 0.01 max |
| 2 | Lead | < 0.001 | 0.05 max |
| 3 | Mercury | < 0.0005 | 0.001max |
| 4 | Chromium | < 0.05 | 0.05 max |
| 5 | Cadmium | < 0.001 | 0.01 max |
| 6 | Calcium | 0.8 | 200 max |
| 7 | Copper | 0.001 | 1.5 max |
| 8 | Iron | < 0.005 | 1.0 max |
| 9 | Zinc | 0.001 | 15.0 max |
| 10 | Selenium | < 0.01 | 0.01 max |
| 11 | Magnesium | < 0.1 | 100 max |
| 12 | Manganese | < 0.001 | 0.3 max |
| 13 | Boron | < 0.005 | 5 max |
| 14 | Aluminium | < 0.005 | 0.2 max |
| 15 | Colour | -1 | 25 max |
| 16 | Turbidity | 0.2 | 10 max |
| 17 | Ph@25 C | 6.8 | 6.5-8.5 |
| 18 | Taste | Acceptable | Acceptable |
| 19 | Odour | Agreeable | Unobjectionable |
| 20 | Total Dissolved Solids | 6 | 2000 max |
| 21 | Total Alkalinity | 4 | 600 max |
| 22 | Total Hardness | 2 | 600 max |
| 23 | Fluoride | 0.1 | 1.5 max |
| 24 | Chloride | 0.3 | 1000 max |
For more on the process and the test results, please visit their website here.
A wetter, happier and safer future?
This product comes as a boon to the many millions of Indians who remain waterless for most parts of the year. The scorching summer heat sees women in many villages having to walk tens of kilometers in search of water. Recognizing the potential of AKVO AWG, various panchayats have already approached the company for purchasing this product. Various NGOs and government organizations are also keen on exploring its potential.
Can we see a future where the water crisis is completely averted? Just as the government claimed that all of India now has electricity, can we see the entire country with water all year round? Only time will tell. But for now, kudos to Mr. Bagga and his team!
Eco-intelligent™ 
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