Village taps drinking water from humid air daily
Residents of Wadji village in Maharashtra now access drinking water using a new machine that extracts moisture from the air.
Residents once walked over one kilometre to fetch water. Hot summers made local wells and groundwater sources dangerously scarce for the community.
The long trek was exhausting and unreliable especially when temperatures rose sharply. Available supplies vanished quickly during these difficult weather conditions.
Scientists from CSIR-IICT in Hyderabad created a system called Meghdoot. It works by drawing humid air into a special machine equipped with filters.
These filters remove dust and pollen particles before refrigeration cools the air. The air reaches its dew point for condensation of water droplets.
The collected water undergoes further purification using activated carbon filtration and ultraviolet disinfection. The treated water is then stored for safe consumption by families.
It is now available at the Zilla Parishad Primary School and Anganwadi center. Children and local residents can easily access this clean water source.
The Wadji Gram Panchayat adopted this innovation to address water scarcity. The unit helps bring drinking water closer to people in need.
Although it cannot replace groundwater conservation the machine offers an alternative source. It reduces the physical burden on villagers who previously walked far.