URBAN COMMUNITY LABSWater storage/transport/supply

Research compilation

Facilitators: Huda Jaffer, Sudipto Das Gupta Team: Chhavi, Mrinali, Rigzin, Shail, Shivam

OVERVIEW

Target users Location & situation

Interviews

Needs analaysis Business & personal

Online and market research

Target users- Personal

Migrant labourers, slum dwellers

Pain points no access to kaveri drinking water through government cannot afford to buy water from the cycle wallahs no fixed source of water, rely on irregular BBMP water tankers, private taps Have to put up fights with the people who pay for the connections

a,e,i,o,u Analysis

Target users- Business

Cycle wallahs

Pain points Have to pull cycles with upto 200kgs of load over long distances Sell it for petty rates, sometimes even on credit A lot of them are too old , they resort to water delivery thinking it’s the only way of earning their

livelihood. Cars and autos ram into their cycles leaving them with repair expenses

a,e,i,o,u Analysis

Interviews- Personal users

“We have to walk two three kilometers for the paid water and the free water is farther away,but we prefer going there, we cant afford Rs.2 for each pot.”

-Krishnappa Garden.

“Water is used for everything, and for drinking we don’t boil”- Pai Layout

“Three or four days in a month we don’t end up getting water, those days we end up buyingDrinking water and making do with how much we have.”

-Hosker halli

“We end up making 2-3 trips a day, whoever is free goes and brings back two filledpots, we need at least 20 pots a day”

Thubrahalli

“We cant afford to pay more that Rs.20 a month for water, we tried fixing the current freesupply of water through pipes but the people around are just too lazy and don’t care”

- Idka Mohalla.

Interviews-Cycle wallahs

“We set our prices according to the distance. It starts from Rs. 3-4 per pot over a distance of 1-2 kms. and goes up to Rs.7-8 over 7-8 kms. “

“The reckless auto drivers just ram into us and the pots break instantly. They are neither apologetic nor helpful, leaving us with the repair expenses. We wish the containers were more sturdy”

:We need to take the water up two floors at times to empty the pots into the tanks because the owners refuse to do it”

“Most of us have permanent customers. We receive a call from them and we go and deliver. “

“There are times when the consumers don’t have money at all to pay. We have also given it for free at times. During other times we also give water on credit.”

“Pain is inevitable, we have to do something to earn our livelihood.”

Needs analysis- Cycle wallahsUp to 200 kg weightPulling a weight of up to 200 kg for a distance of 5-10 kms. This posture causes chest pain and breathlessness. Weakening knees, shoulders and legs. Regular intake of pain killers

Needs analysis- Cycle wallahsNavigating through trafficThey have to navigate through busy roads, therefore a cycle occupying minimum space seems like the most feasible option despite of the discomfort .

Needs analysis- Cycle wallahsUncertain repair costsThe plastic pots need to be replaced every two months. The cost of a new pot is between Rs. 50-70 depending on the quality.

Needs analysis- Personal users

Painful ergonomicsMen and women have been carrying these pots full of water for ages but it is awfully hard to carry them. Children start carrying these pots from the age of 5.

Needs analysis- Personal users

Number of tripsIn one go one person can carry maximum of 2 pots. Daily requirement of a family of four is 10-12 pots. That means if there is just one person sourcing the water, they need to make 6 trips everyday

Needs analysis- Personal users

No identity, no waterMost of the migrant laborers who are not under any contractor have a tough time sourcing water because they don’t have ration cards . Government doesn’t provide them with any amenities. They have to fight with the private connection owners to let them take water. They grab any opportunity to source water.

Online and Market research- Existing solutions in different parts of the world

Different ways of carrying- domestic use

PACK h20-Help carry hope

Features : • Double Liner • Chlorine tablet pouch • Adjustable shoulder straps • Protective Cover • Volume: 5 gallons • Strap strength: 352 lb • Puncture resistance w/poly liner: 52 lbf • Drain Spout • Hand straps • Puncture-resistant shell • Reflective tape • Weight: 43 lbf • Backpack seam strength: 13.8 lbf • Tear resistance of backpack fabric: 63 lbf

• The PackH2O is 7 times lighter and 7 times smaller than a jerry can that holds the same amount of water.

• The PackH2O inner liner can be removed and sanitized in the sun

Advantages• Since the weight is shared on the shoulders, the

weight becomes much easier to carry.• The bag is collapsible and occupies minimum space

when not in use.• Easy storage.• Can be used by all age groups.Disadvantages• Health issues.

PACK H20

Carts used by water delivery services in USA

PROS• No weight is taken directly on your body.• Pushing is easier than pulling• Can carry up to 80 litres, 4 bottles(8 pots)• Compact• Durable

CONS• Might require additional arrangements

to make sure they don’t topple and fall.• Balancing seems a little tricky

Hippo Water Roller- used in South Africa by under privileged

PROS-• No weight is directly taken on the body.• Easier to push it around than to carry it.• Can carry up to 50L at one go.• Since its air tight you can use it for

washing clothes while traveling.

CONS-• The roads are in a very bad condition.• The material of the product might wear

off earlier according to the storage.

Advantages.• since the device is in cylindrical shape.• Its very easy to roll which makes the work much much easier than actually

carrying that amount on head. • time savings (fetching water can be very time consuming in some poor rural

environments) reduced effort• reduced strain (carrying heavy weights on the head every day for years puts strain

on the body, particularly the vertebral column);• increased water availability, with benefits for health and perhaps even enabling

vegetables to be growmn• hygienic storage due to the sealed lid on the roller.Disadvantages • rollers cannot be stacked efficiently to save space;

Market/online research for water business.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKQBI6bGghA

Water Delivery TricycleThis type of cargo tricycle is frequently used throughout Mexico. Vendors use it to sell things like fresh bread, ice cream from coolers, and in this case bottled water. I frequently purchased water from one of these as they cruised around my local neighborhood in Playa del Carmen, exchanging an empty bottle for a full one for about $2. Sometimes the bikes are used as the family car or cheap taxis (called bici taxis), with 2 plastic chairs placed on the front.

Advantages.• Easily navigable• Sturdy• Can be cycled to go delivery and while coming

back• More capacityDisadvantages.• More expensive than cycles• Occupy more space

• Aquaduct Concept Vehicle by IDEO. Winner of the ’08 Innovate or Die competition sponsored by Google and Specialized, the Aquaduct is “a pedal-powered concept vehicle that transports, filters, and stores water.” Pedal to the well, fill up the tank and by the time you’re home you have 8 liters of purified water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-mvfjyiao&feature=player_embedded

Advantages.• Purified drinking water• Complete removal of the purification process

at homeDisadvantage• Capacity• Expense• Availability of material and manufacture

Water Purification

Online/ Market/ existing solution globally

During field research, most of the time there wasn’t any form of purification. A few people boiled water but the general mentality was that they didn’t want to spend gas or fuel wood to boil water. They said they’d rather got to the hospital as and when they fall ill.For us to introduce water purification systems, we must first make them aware of the importance of clean water.

Types of water purification

• Boiling• Sunlight Exposure• Chlorination• Flocculation • Filtration - Straining• Three-Pot Treatment

BoilingEquipment/Skill Required:

Water containerIntense heat – fuel (wood, gas, etc) – Preferably a fuel efficient stoveMust be able to produce heat

Process:Water should be placed in a container and heated until boiling. The water should be allowed to boil for at least 10 minutes. Once cooled the water will be ready to use.

• Advantages

– Simple and effective method of purification– Will kill many waterborne bacteria through the intense heat– Uses local available materials

• Disadvantages

– Can sometimes be difficult, time consuming, and cost inefficient because of the high volume of fuel used

– Will not remove mud from ‘murky’ water– Will not remove suspended or dissolved compounds

Sunlight Exposure

Equipment/Skill Required:

Disposable clear plastic bottles (glass bottles should not be used as they do not let enough sunlight into the water)Bright sunlight

Process:

Fill a clean bottle, leaving a quarter empty. Put the top on and shake the bottle for 20 seconds. The bottled should then be left in sunlight

(usually on the roof of your home) for one day (or two days if the sky is cloudy)

Drink the water straight from the bottle to avoidcross-contamination.In the rainy season, paint one side of the bottle black.This will increase the water temperature quicker. The painted side should be placed underneath

Advantages:

Kills harmful bacteria and pathogensSimple, convenient and inexpensiveIf used correctly, the water is as clean as boiled waterWill not change the taste of water

Disadvantages:

Will not remove mud from ‘murky’ waterA 6-12 hour waiting period

Chlorination

Equipment/skill required:

Household bleachWater vesselStirrerClearest water possible

Process:

Boil the water for 5 minutes Add the bleach to water. Stir thoroughly.Let it stand for at least 30 minutes.

Advantages:Easy to use method of chemical purification of waterEffective at killing bacteria and virusesInexpensive

Disadvantages:Not effective at killing all parasites.Complex compounds can form with organic material which over time can be hazardous to health.It is best to use the water in a shorter period of time and store it in a plastic container in a cool and shaded place.

Coagulation and Flocculation

Equipment/skill required:A coagulant (ex. aluminium sulphate)Some skill/training 2 vessels StirrerFilter – a cloth

Process: Add a coagulant to water and stir rapidly. Allow to stand for some time, and continuously stir slowly to form large flocs.The formed flocs clean the water by attracting pathogens and other microorganisms. Remove the flocs using filtration and be careful to not re-contaminate the water.

Advantages: Proven reduction of viruses, bacteria, protozoa Pesticide and heavy metal removal Simple technology and use

Disadvantages: May be toxic if used improperly Could be more expensive and complicated than other methods due to increased number of required materials and skill Requires multiple steps

Filtration -Straining

Equipment/skill required:Porous barrier: cost and efficiency depends on the barrier: clean woven fibers (cotton cloth, linen, others) Moringa tree seed press cake, ceramic filter Water vessel

Process:Fix the barrier on top of the water vessel. If using cloth it should be folded 4-8 times to create a thicker barrier. Pour water through the barrier into the vessel, trapping solids and particles on top of the barrier. Take care to only allow filtered water to reach the bucket.

Letting water collected during the day settle over night can be an effective way of improving the clearness of water by reducing turbity (very murky water) and is a cheap alternative to sand filtering. However you must leave undisturbed for a sufficient period of time (at least 10 hours), out of sunlight (at night), in a sealed container is best. Warning: Must be used in conjunction with Filtering. This is only a pre-treatment to make Filtering more effective!!

Filtering Water with Cloth

Filtration -Straining

Advantages:Cost effectiveImmediate access to waterFilters out all particles that are larger than the pores in the barrierCan be cleaned and reusedDoes not alter taste of water

Disadvantages:Does not guarantee removal of all virus particles and infectious contaminants, chemicals, pollutants, chemicals and poor tastes Should not be used as a sole purification method

Three-Pot Treatment

Equipment/skill required:

3 water vessels/pots for processing; 1 for collection of dirty water and 1 for collection of clean waterif possible - a flexible pipe to siphon water as it disturbs sediment less than pouringif possible - a cloth or any filtration barrier

Process:

Pour water into the first pot (pouring it through cloth increases efficiency). Let the water settle for as many hours as possible – a length of just one day can kill of more than 50% of most bacteria. Pour water into a second pot, let it settle again.Then pour into the third pot and let it settle again. Drinking water is drawn from the third pot only.

Advantages:Cost effectiveEasy to use and maintain Bacterial contamination levels decrease through settlement and over time

Disadvantages:Does not guarantee complete removal of some bacteria and micro-organismsCould take a few days to treat water

Purification system one.clay-based water purification system for household use in developing countries. The system consists of a ceramic filter element, made of kiln-fired clay treated with colloidal silver, set in a plastic receptacle tank with a plastic lid and spigot. These filters have been produced and promoted in Africa, Central America, and Southeast Asia, but have not been widely adopted due to poor financial planning and failures in meeting the expected amount and quality of water produced. The team improved the filtration system and at the same time developed customized training that creates broader awareness, encouraging adoption on a much larger scale, and stimulating local production and support.

• The main filter elements are the container and filter medium. The filter element is manually filled with water from a contaminated source, which seeps through the clay at a rate of two to three liters per hour. The filtering effect of the clay eliminates a large portion of water-borne pathogens.

• Application of the colloidal silver has add on benefits and ensures complete bacteria removal.

• A study funded by USAID in Nicaragua found that the ceramic filters can remove 98-100 percent of E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia. This study however suggets that only with sufficient education household filters can both treat water efficiently and meet drinking water standards (2). Colloidal silver is an anti-bacterial agent with a wide range of application in medical practice. It has been used extensively prior to the development of antibiotics in the 1940s and 50s(1). The amount of silver used and also leached from the filter medium is estimated to be negligible and therefore should not be a health concern (1). Teaching communities how to use and maintain filters, however, is the most significant element of such process.

In context to UCL

Advantages• Low cost.• Easy to use• Eco friendly

Disadvantages• may not be compatible with chlorinated water

sources due to demonstrating the need for better consumer education, in addition to clogging and loss of silver which commonly experienced.

• people only use filters for a fraction of their drinking water

Hindustan pure it compact/ Pureit Classic: Pureit is the easy, practical and affordable way to get safe drinking water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzO0jQbxrCQ

Advantages • It does not require a tap connection. • Really simple to use. • Total capacity is 23 Litres. Purified storage capacity is 9 litres. • Doesn't need expensive gas, electricity or continuous tap water. • No plumbing or expensive maintenance requiredDisadvantages • cost 2350 rupee• fileration kit have to change within 6 month which cost around 1000 rupee.

• just 9 liter water storage is not enough for 7-8 member family .

Thank you