IoT-based device sensors to monitor drinking water supply systems in rural areas

Sensor devices to monitor drinking water supply systems in rural areas

In an effort to monitor rural drinking water supply schemes, the Jal Shakti Department has decided to adopt a digital route using IoT-based devices to monitor the operation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in more than six lakh villages. In this regard, the National Jal Jeevan Mission in partnership with the Tata Community Initiatives Trust (TCIT) and the Tata Trust has recently completed pilot projects in several remote villages in five provinces namely Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh. A key feature for these pilots was the use of inexpensive but strong sensors, which made the solution more daunting and sustainable, the department said in a statement. One of the biggest challenges possessed by the team was to develop a robust solution with a fraction of the cost of water infrastructure without compromising on quality or performance. These costs are expected to decrease further on the scale

Most importantly, most of the vendors, including the producers, are Indian players, thus contributing to the AatmaNirbhar Bharat Government program. The pilots started operating in September 2020 despite challenges during the covid-19 epidemic, the government said.

The Internet of Things (IoT) remote monitoring provides real-time information without the intervention of sensors. This will not only allow for better monitoring and management on the ground but also enable real-time visibility for Government employees / PHED administrators, as well as citizens, the government said.

With a view to the future of ensuring that tap water is common in all households, real-time measurement and monitoring are essential to rural drinking water supply systems, with significant benefits in terms of efficiency, cost reduction, grievance redress, etc., the government said. The information will help improve service delivery and highlight the value of assets such as water, the government said, adding, thus creating a strong social and economic case for the distribution of such a system. Pilots have led to many results as it has helped to identify distribution issues - such as exhaustion, leakage, low pressure, etc. And it led to resolving sites. It recently warned officials and the public about the rapid depletion of groundwater, which has led locals to build a reservoir to strengthen their bath power. Other perceived benefits include efficient and equitable use of water by the community as well as reduced operating costs for data leakage acquired data, prediction adjustments, and automation.

Drinking water supply systems in the Indian subcontinent face many challenges of dehydration, pump failure, unusual and insufficient water supply, etc. These challenges often exacerbate social and economic differences, such as women transporting water, often walking more than a mile; many water-borne diseases, which could have been easily avoided, also loss of income and economic costs. The need for this hour is to ensure and put in place systems to monitor and effectively supply water supply to rural areas.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a key Union Government initiative, used in partnership with States / UTs to provide tap water connectivity to all rural families by 2024 ideas for Digital Wall and Remote Command & Control Centre to monitor and manage the provision of bulk water supply adequate (55 Litres per Capita per day - LPCD) daily with home taps connected to all rural districts.