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Indian city Shimla to install water vending kiosks

May 29, 2014

Shimla, the capital city of the Indian State of Himachal Pradesh, is set to install five automatic water vending machines, the Times of India reports.

The state government agreed at a cabinet meeting on May 17 that the vending machines, which will provide low-cost clean packaged water, will be installed on a build, operate, manage and maintain basis. 

The Times of India quoted a senior municipal official as saying that the vending machines will help reduce cases of water-borne diseases such as jaundice and will also benefit tourists. Most visitors to Shimla buy packaged water for fear of water-borne diseases, it said.

Sarvajal, a subsidiary of Piramal Foundation, a philanthropic group owned by India’s Piramal Group, has been asked to install the water machines in Shimla. Founded in 2008, Sarvajal supplies Water ATMs which use ultraviolet and reverse osmois technology to dispense clean drinking water. Customers pay for their water purchases with prepaid cards.

According to the Times of India, Sarvajal will be responsible for installation and operation expenses for its Water ATMs, with the state government allowing recovery of a per litre rate and guaranteeing minimum sales from each vending machine.