JanaJal 'Water on Wheels' electric vehicle recommended by Jal Shakti Ministry

JanaJal Water on Wheels (WOW), an IoT-based, three-wheeled electric vehicle developed by Noida-based JanaJal to deliver safe drinking water to the doorsteps of households, has been recommended by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to State governments as one of the five innovative field-level solutions that can help deliver the National Jal Jeevan Mission drinking water program to the masses.

The five technologies - three for drinking water and two for sanitation - were selected after a rigorous technical scrutiny from a total of 87 proposals received by the Ministry. These technological solutions would assist the implementing agencies in various States and Union Territories to deliver drinking water services to all rural communities by 2024. JanaJal WOW is the only technology among the five selected that deals with the last-mile delivery of safe water to people.

"We are delighted and honoured that JanaJal WOW (Water on Wheels) has been recognized and recommended by the Ministry of Jal Shakti as an innovative field-level solution for delivery of safe water to the masses as part of the Jal Jeevan Mission. This unique technology-driven innovation promises to not only deliver good health and wellness in India but also create jobs and provide social entrepreneurship opportunities to people," said Dr Parag Agarwal, Founder & CEO of JanaJal, India's leading technology-enabled safe-water services provider.

"JanaJal WOW is a completely tech-managed, GPS-monitored, battery-operated, secure three-wheeler with zero carbon emissions. It mitigates the need for increased accessibility and reach by creating a 'hub and spoke' delivery model deep inside communities. We look forward to playing a crucial role in the 'Har Ghar Jal' mission of the Indian Government that aims to make safe drinking water available to every household. The widespread adoption of JanaJal WOW would also support the Government's push to popularize the use of electric vehicles in India and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels," he added.

The design patent of JanaJal Wow has been approved and a CNG variant is presently under development. The compact vehicle has a water tank capacity of 500 litres. It can deliver up to 2,000 litres of safe water to people's homes daily by making upto four trips per day.

JanaJal WOW uses an innovative anti-counterfeiting technology-based solution to prevent unauthorized refilling of water, thus ensuring delivery of safe drinking water according to BIS and WHO standards. The company has developed its own unified technology platform supported by proprietary IOT controllers and sensors that helps manage every decentralised water treatment plant through remote monitoring in real-time.

"JanaJal WOW functions like a mobile water ATM that can easily penetrate deeper into communities for home-delivery of safe drinking water. Securing the daily dose of potable water for drinking and cooking by every household can be a challenge in large parts of India. The source of water is often found at significant distances away from habitations, especially in rural areas. JanaJal WOW, an environment friendly, battery-operated vehicle, was developed with the objective of delivering water to peoples' doorstep and increase the rate of adoption of safe water as an integral part of daily life of citizens," added Dr Parag Agarwal.

"We are working in conjunction with existing Safe Water Enterprises to help utilise their existing spare capacity through deployment of JanaJal WOW within a radius of 5 kms around each of their water treatment plants. This technology-based intervention promises to impact the lives of millions in the country by providing increased availability and access to safe water. It also reduces dependence on unsecured water sources and expensive packaged drinking water. After all, untreated water remains one of the biggest causes of COVID-19 as per a circular issued by the United Nations," he added.

JanaJal currently has more than 750 water ATMs and safe water points under its management in association with implementation partners such as Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation, Konkan Railways, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Indian Railways, Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

JanaJal Water ATMs and safe water points - spread across 7 states in India - have till now dispensed nearly 100 million litres of safe drinking water to people, eliminated 23 million single-use plastic bottles and helped conserve over 50 million litres of water.