Water Purification Business in India

Water Purification Business in Rural India

The annual revenues from the water purification business in India, which currently stands at Rs. 15 billion, are growing at the rate of 20% annually. Industry players are making efforts to come u with new devices that are breaking price barriers while evolving new technologies.

The Indian government puts the access of clean drinking water at around 75% in urban areas and 45% in rural areas.

Water Purifiers

Focus has shifted from high-end water purifiers aimed at affluent urban homes to the needs of rural India. Given the power shortage problems in the country, the goal is to develop purifiers that run without electricity, do not need running water from pipes and operate only with low cost refill cartridges.

The main players in the business of affordable water purification devices:

1) TATA Chemicals: Tata Swach

2) Hindustan Unilever: HUL Pureit

3) Eureka Forbes: Aquasure

The Godrej Group which already has a purifier for the urban market, is also developing a device for the rural market.

|Product |Capacity |Price |Cartridge |Life of Cartridge |

|Tata Swach |18 litre |Rs. 999 |Rs. 299 |3,000 litre |

|Aquasure |20 litre |Rs. 2,290 |Rs. 200 |750 litre |

|HUL Pureit |18 litre |Rs. 2,060 |Rs. 365 |1,500 litre |

Tata Chemicals’ low priced product ushered in a pricing revolution, prompting HUL to reduce the price of Pureit to Rs. 1000 (though at a reduced capacity). Tata Chemicals said that their device can provide safe drinking water at Rs. 30 ($0.64) per month, for a family of five.

Water treatment plants in rural areas

Other initiatives to provide safe drinking water to rural India...