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Erode district, which lies within the western a part of Tamil Nadu, is a area characterised by restricted rainfall, dry local weather and erratic water provide. For the roughly 11 lakh residents of the district who reside in its rural areas (as per 2011 Census), this irregular water provide is a good larger concern.
Based on the district administration, whereas the agricultural water demand within the district is 74 MLD (million litres a day), the water provided is roughly 40 to 55 LPCD (litres per capita per day).
“This water is provided from the Kaveri and Bhavani rivers via 20 Mixed Water Provide Schemes (i.e. water from rivers) aside from native borewell sources. At the moment, most villages in Erode district and elsewhere depend on overhead tanks (OHTs) for his or her water provide, sourced both from borewells or infiltration wells in close by rivers,” explains District Collector (DC) Raja Gopal Sunkara, a 2015-batch IAS officer, in a dialog with The Higher India.
DC Sunkara goes on to elucidate that within the Erode district, there are over 4,700 Over Head Tanks (OHTs) in rural areas whereas the variety of tank operators is barely 299.
Because of the reliance on tank operators, he explains the next issues have been being confronted:
1) Excessive water losses: “In most villages, we see overflowing OHTs because the motors are usually not switched off on time,” explains DC Sunkara.
2) Unreliable timings of water provide: Since tank operators should manually handle OHTs, water provide timings change from each day relying on their availability and punctuality.
3) Excessive electrical energy invoice for the native physique: “Because the motors are usually not switched off on time, the electrical energy payments of villages improve,” he notes.
4) Dry Run: Motors get broken when they’re run with out water within the sump.
As Ok Renuva Devi, the Panchayat president of Kuttapalayam village explains, “Earlier, we have been depending on the tank operator, who used to manually function the gate valves and motor pumps. There was once overflow from the tanks.”
To handle these failings of the OHT water provide system in Erode district, DC Sunkara has put in IoT units in 50 habitations throughout 16 villages, which the district administration claims haven’t solely decreased electrical energy payments by roughly 40% but additionally elevated water provide by over 20%.
Discovering IoT options
Earlier than his present posting as DC of Erode in Might 2023, DC Sunkara — a dual-degree holder from IIT-Kharagpur — labored as a commissioner within the neighbouring Coimbatore metropolis municipal company the place a 24/7 water provide scheme was being carried out, and as government director of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Provide and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).
In each these roles, he obtained a deeper understanding of water provide techniques, however predominantly in city settings. “Following my posting in Erode, I organised common inspections to garner a better understanding of the size of the agricultural water distribution drawback,” he notes.
To sort out these points, the administration put in IoT units with the next options:
1. Tank-level alerts offering real-time updates on water ranges within the sumps and the OHT.
2. Automated pumping: As per this method, water is routinely pumped to the OHT from the sump, with a semi-automatic choice for particular events.
3. Scheduled water provide: Timings might be preset and valves open routinely.
4. Overflow Prevention: Set up of computerized mechanisms to cease overflow.
5. Complete information on water amount and timings, enhancing accountability.
Based on DC Sunkara, “This IoT system has already been efficiently carried out in 63 OHTs in 50 habitations in Erode district, leading to important advantages — reminiscent of decreased motor working time, decrease electrical energy payments, and minimised water wastage. Extra importantly, the reliability of water provide to the general public has seen a outstanding enchancment; thus assuaging the burden on ladies who typically spend appreciable time ready close to faucets.”
“The initiative prices roughly Rs 1 to 1.5 lakh per OHT, and has been principally taken up beneath the village panchayat basic fund or fifteenth Central Finance Fee (CFC) funds. After the preliminary successes, we’re engaged on putting in it in 150 OHTs in Har Ghar Jal villages (all households in that village are supplied with faucet water provide) utilizing these funds together with the District Mineral Basis funds, Company Surroundings Duty funds, and many others,” he provides.
How does this expertise work?
“A linear stage sensor pushes tank stage alerts to the IoT Grasp Controller, triggering the pump and inlet valve to make sure OHT filling when water ranges are low,” explains DC Sunkara.
As soon as the required stage is reached, the motor switches off, and the inlet valve closes. The outlet valve operates routinely based mostly on pre-set schedules. Actual-time information generated from these capabilities is saved in AWS Cloud and might be accessed via the iNeer cell app by stakeholders.
“Complete information on water amount and timings are collected in real-time via the sensors, which is made out there on a cell software to native public representatives like Panchayat presidents, tank operators, councillors, and many others. The cell software known as iNeer, (out there on Google Play Retailer) gives insights into consumption patterns and operational effectivity,” he says.
“Primarily based on suggestions from the stakeholders, the cell software has been redesigned to make it very user-friendly. The influence on residents is mirrored in improved water availability, dependable water timings, decreased ready time, higher water strain and general comfort,” he provides.
To verify this method works, DC Sunkara notes how pilots have been taken up in Kumaravalasu, Kuttapalayam and Ponmudi village panchayats beneath the management of Panchayat presidents.
“The preliminary findings of those pilots have been very encouraging,” he shares. However the administration did encounter challenges in the course of the pilot/testing course of together with technical glitches and making certain compatibility with present infrastructure.
“Through the pilot stage, we deliberate for an electrical energy board (EB) provide for the IoT controllers and motorised valves. The controllers needed to be chosen accordingly. The controllers obtained broken throughout voltage fluctuations and lightning occasions. We then launched a solar energy provide with battery backup. The specs for wattage, and many others have been finalised after plenty of trial and error,” he explains, including, “At every stage, it was a studying course of for us.”
Different implementation challenges included upkeep points and the necessity for steady monitoring, requiring collaboration with tech specialists and common coaching for upkeep employees.
In the meantime, public representatives like Panchayat presidents and Councillors have been additionally skilled in utilizing the app via which OHTs might be managed and information might be seen. Suffice it to say, there was some scepticism in regards to the implementation of those IoT units.
“Preliminary scepticism was resulting from the price of the expertise and since there was no precedent to be taught from. Whereas Panchayat presidents of the pilot villages took on this experiment with open minds, the opposite presidents have been introduced on board by arranging visits to see the success of the initiative in pilot villages. This helped overcome this scepticism,” he provides.
Advantages to Rural Erode
How have these techniques benefitted residents by way of decreased motor working time, decrease electrical energy payments, minimising water wastage and dependable water provide?
In Ponmudi village, for instance, the IoT system was put in in 10 OHTs.
Based on DC Sunkara, “The electrical energy models consumed fell from 35,930 (4 months earlier than set up) to 17,819 (4 months post-installation) — a drastic 50% lower. The electrical energy invoice fell from Rs 2,72,707 to Rs 1,67,001 for a similar interval — a 40% fall. In the meantime, the amount of water provided per day elevated from 1.65 lakh litres to 2.09 lakh litres — extra provide of 44,180 litres. These financial savings can be utilized for offering different facilities to the general public. The outcomes for Ponmudi have been mirrored in different villages too.”
As Renuva Devi, Panchayat president of Kuttapalayam village additionally notes, “Now, we’re not depending on the tank operator. Water is routinely provided to the general public at pre-set timings. There have hardly been any complaints concerning water provide from the general public. Mounted amount is being provided for a hard and fast timing after which, there are water financial savings.”
These techniques additionally helped alleviate the burden on ladies — notably from households with no direct water provide connections who typically spend a very long time ready close to faucets.
“In our society, the burden of fetching water falls on ladies. Water is provided via family connections or public fountains in rural areas. Those that don’t have these connections or who are usually not getting enough portions of water via such connections have been both pressured to buy water within the non-public market or wait at public fountains. The burden on ladies was additional aggravated due to unreliable water provide timings. They must wait at odd timings and for lengthy durations for water,” informs DC Sunkara.
He additional explains, “Out of 4,18,981 households, 3,56,101 have connections beneath the Jal Jeevan Mission, and works are ongoing for giving purposeful family faucet connections to all.”
Kalaiselvi, a 32-year-old resident of Ponmudi village, notes, “Earlier, water provide in our village was problematic. It was managed by a waterman (tank operator). He would swap on the motor pump to the overhead tanks and neglect to change it off. We must name and remind him, and solely then would he swap off the motor. There was plenty of water wastage resulting from this.”
“Regardless of faucet connections being affected to all households beneath the Jal Jeevan Mission, we by no means knew when water can be provided. A lot of the ladies within the village go to work. On days when water is provided, they must take go away or not have the ability to fetch water. Furthermore, homes at the next elevation used to get much less water and people at a decrease elevation used to get extra water,” she provides.
“Now, a hard and fast amount of water is being provided at pre-set timings, no matter elevation. As we speak, our space will get water from 6 am to eight am daily. A WhatsApp group has been created through which water provide timings are knowledgeable to us. Water wastage and electrical energy payments even have come down. We aren’t pressured to take go away [from work] for fetching water,” says Kalaiselvi.
Shifting ahead, the plan is to put in these IoT units in OHTs positioned in different villages too. “Our imaginative and prescient is to harness out there expertise and broaden this initiative, one village at a time, utilising present funds,” says DC Sunkara.
(Edited by Pranita Bhat; Pictures courtesy Erode District Administration)
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