Why Water ATMs are not that popular still ?

When I speak or talk on Water ATM , people show different reactions. Most of the times, they don't seem to know. And whatever they know , is usually about the Railway Station Water Vending Machine.

It's a perfect Solution in fact !

Water ATM is a booth where pure, good drinkable water is dispensed through a tap, after proper treatment. You carry your container (Re-use focused), and get it filled at a cost. This is at much lesses cost than pre bottled water & saves the earth from plastic.

What's the Cost ?

Railways sell it at Rs. 5 per litre. Its very expensive actually, but IRCTC being a company, is profit centric & they will make their money from the revenue by selling water. It looks like they are eyeing at the traveller who otherwise pays Rs. 20 , showcasing it to be 75% cheaper. Private Agencies have also been charging the same.

However, there are Govt agencies who installs Water ATMs. Some at their own budget, some through BOLT basis through agencies. This has been in operation since last 10 years now.

Besides these, there are many private companies who execute these ATMs through CSR funding.

The challenges

Low public awareness

Somehow, we don't see much campaigns on making general public aware about this. You would see campaigns on using the PET bottle crushing machines, but not on the usage of these machines.

Poor Maintenance

When they are a responsibility of the user, the systems have observed failures. The systems where they are maintained properly are still running properly. It's because of proper care & maintenance. Irrespective, whether the agency is Governmental OR Private, the issue is Poor maintenance. You might look at this example of the Guwahati Smart City case, where they had outsourced Water ATM project to a private agency.

What needs to be done ....

Users need to be aware of the cost structure of the whole. There will be both the costs : The Capex & Opex. Capex being the 1-time installation cost & Opex being the repeated operations & maintenance cost, which will include various factors like water cost, consumables, operators, supervision etc. Once the user group understands the cost of this water per ltr, then they will be ready to spend for that, and believe me, it will be much much lower in comparison to the cost of water which is paid currently.

Water ATM is the true answer to this challenge !

There has been a stream of news I have been observing from quite a few days about those "illegal water plants" being raided by govt officials.

13 plants from Mehbubabad, from Telangana
NMC, Nagpur starts shutting down these plants. Activists claim that there are 800 such plants (....??) in Nagpur alone
Mira Bhayander Corpn found such plants during demolition of illegal houses.
Bhuvaneshwar found some plant using Bisleri's illegal license.

I have just listed a few, you will find many of such cases.

First, let's know WHO raids these plants :-

Usually it is the Corporation, local. They get instruction by state or central from seniors. Like from NGT or Pollution Board etc.

Why are they called "illegal"

They don't have the valid BIS licence (Read Footnote). Its an easy way to get into this business by installing a small non-isi plant Check Indiamart or Google, you will find many options. That's why so many plants.

Is Prosecuting the real solution ?

I think, having a better water availability in all areas is the real solution. To start with, Water ATMs can be the real solution. (Read Footnote) At present, the ISI marked plant owners run this prosection campaign to defeat the illegal people. However, if a strong alternative is build, this is an automatic care.

Footnote 1 : BIS issues the ISI number which you see on water bottles. 2 Blogposts on this ( The Original Bottle and How do you get this ISI License)

Footnote 2 : Water ATM is a booth like Money Vending system. You insert coin or show a smart card, and you get Water dispensed in your bottle/container. You can check blogs on subject from the list of subjects.

New fssai new Rule : Who are the real targets ?

The Background :-

The fssai, has come out with a new rule that every Packaged Drinking Water producer must add minimum amount of calcium & magnesium in their produce. The limits have been specified by them like 20-75 mg/ltr for calcium & 10 to 30 mg/ltr for magnesium. The highlights of this rule are :-

These rules are made after the push of NGT (National Green Tribunal) in 2019.
This is the 4th & final extension given to all Packaged Drinking Producers.
This has to be implemented from January 1, 2021.
All majors (the Brands) are said to be ready, which contribute to almost 60% of the market share still

There are certain questions came to my mind ....

Whom are they targeting exactly ?

I have observed everytime, when a rule is created, its to target some particular segment within the sector itself. The key issues are identified, and , with the help of certain associations & govt bodies, these issues are identified. Then the action is formed & implemented.

What may be the key issue here ?

If it is the Water Quality (retention of minerals), then why the BIS doesn't make it compulsory. The BIS is the main licensing authority. There are 6000 + units all across India who possess a BIS license, and it's mandatory & fairly descriptive that fssai compliance.

Is it to get more units registered with fssai ? The fssai license is also a compulsory thing in addition to the BIS. However, many units (almost75%) do not possess an fssai license. These all are from the inorganized sector- the nobrands. Is it to get them under fssai ?

Is it to just satisfy the Green Tribunal ? As mentioned in point 2, if it was that serious, they would really make amends in the BIS rules. However, there is no news from them. The NGT has been shouting quite a loud from last couple of years. Is it just to give them some consolation ?

Shall we be observing a Price Hike ? The Packaged Drinking Water Bottle MRP looks to be settled at Rs.20 , quite for some time now. Is there an overall, well justified plan to take it to Rs.25 or Rs.30 ? The Industry has incurred some major losses during the Covid-19 period & has been reporting these losses. Is it an all-industry combined action-plan to justify the "would-be" price hike ?

Reduce the "Duplicators" ?

This is an other challenged by this industry, if more rules are imposed, there will be lesser people who may dare to duplicate without license.

WHO connected guidelines

Has WHO issued more guidelines after Covid in particular ? This rule may be in line with implementing them.

Favoring the NMW

NMW means the Natural Mineral Water segment. It has rich content of minerals, naturally. The price is like heaven for these bottles. Right from the Himalayan to the Veen, these waters are heavily charged, almost 5-10 times than them. This rule benefits them, that's for sure.

Points to make ...

The rule seems to be good/ok. However, challenge is the implementation. The inorganized sector doesn't seem to care about the basic value principle of this industry : Offering Hygiene. To really make them aware on their principle value is a major thing.
Who are those "purifying companies" which Bisleri says, who are doing excessive filtration ? If we observe all packaged Water companies (bisleri & others) have a TDS count of 30-72 for final water. And they too implement the RO process, which itself setup to remove the TDS - Total Dissolved solids from the source water.
A technical point : There are many other minerals, with which the water quality is observed. Just increasing the Calcium & Magnesium ....will it balance the Water Quality ?

Conclusion

Let's welcome the rule, as it is created after numerous amends from time to time, after being reviewed by several scientists, industry experts. With a very clear & assertive mindset, we should always look at the positive outcomes of the rule. That's an assertive thought.

Bottled Water ... does this really de-hydrate you ?

Bottled Water ...Dehydration

I just came across a post which says the the american traveller, while traveling bought aquafina or Dasani, and did face sour throat, dehydration etc. Earlier he was having his own tap water from his house. He didn't face it then. You can read the story here. Further he has blamed it on the Brand Owners : Pepsi & Coke & has vented out his frustration mostly; this is my opinion.

Question : Does it really dehydrate ?

Frankly, I have never tried to judge this. Because I have never suffered cm from such a phenomena. While checking internet, still, haven't come across any solid incident where people have suffered from this. However, it might be happening gradually over a period of time. A reason is that we remove what nature has formulated, suits to the environment , the local environment. However, this will be the case with tap water either. The answer : it's still not that important.

But Look here...

The traveler says that during his 8 hours drive, he didn't have an option to buy anything, but bottled water. Here : Exactly here is an opportunity + a new Idea as well. What's that ?

Water ATM / Water Station

A Water ATM is the right solution which will ensure good water for travelers.

Is ZLD practicable for a Mineral Water Factory ?

ZLD for a Mineral water Plant

Since everything is available at your fingertip through internet; it doesn't assure you that all the information is the right information. Similar things happen when people come to us with queries from time to time. It's important to understand the logic & usability in context of a Business Unit. That is : how relevant is the factor in context of the profitability. ZLD is one of the queries we receive from time to time.

( You may refer to this Video to know exactly what can be done with the mineral water plant wastage water, though pretty small in quantity)

What is ZLD ?

ZLD is Zero liquid Discharge. A system which doesn't reject any water from the RO system. Practically you may get systems with almost 95% recovery. Is it possible ? Yes, there are systems available. However, here are my key point suggestions to all those Business Owners who wish to do something in this space :-

Do Not Bother if your reject water TDS is below 2000 PPM

You can use the water in sanitary pipelines or gardening within your own premise. Why I said "Don't Bother" is for a simple reason that the cost is not worth it.

When is it really worth ?

It is advisable for very huge quantities of water like 100000 Ltrs per hour & TDS more than 30000 etc. These applications are for industrial usage or Marine applications.

20 Ltr Jar Mineral Water Business... Needs better Hygienic standards

20 Ltr Mineral Water Jars

In the water-shortage areas, or the "Pure-Water" shortage areas, 20 Ltr Jars are very commonly consumed by citizens. They are also very popularly consumed by institutions. After Covid-19, the demand has increased from the consumers as they are going towards "Storage" of the jars more and more. However, just don't follow those indiamart quotes blindly. Consider these factors while arriving at the investment decision smartly :-

The Hygienic standards

The water factories do need to certify as per the BIS norms, who issues ISI license has laid down certain standards for production units. The standards are really good. Then there is also the fssai, which further ensures the packaging & labeling and there is pollution board which which takes care of the social hygiene.

The Plant Owners Don't Observe them

It's observed that the plant owners, pressurized by their own cash-flow; many a times takes price-decisions in anxiety, which indirectly enforces them to neglect quality measures to be strictly implemented in order to meet the profitability. Over and over, this becomes a habit. This non-observing the quality standard is not over-looked by consumers. Some day or the other, he shifts to another brand. There are brands who take care of this.

No Self Driven Guidelines

In order to meet a "Vision", there will be mission-or missions-Campaigns. Campaigns repeated several times forms another habit, which helps you going closer to your "Vision". The plant owner should setup some kind of standards himself/herself to have an ethical vision, not just profiteering. This is lacking.

Have a Proper Business Plan

Creation of a proper Business Plan with correct, time-spread pricing policy is the key to this. First, when you begin with a resolution to maintain a world-class water factory, your thinking will change, and so the other things.

Share Your Thoughts

Please share your thoughts on what do you feel on this. We also run a special group on Linked-In where we discuss just on this business.

Groundwater Extraction is going to get tougher.....!

It's not going to be a cake-walk for Bottled Water Industry anymore ...

The bottled water industry in India, is dominated by the "Packaged Drinking Water" segment. And the Packaged Drinking Water plants use Groundwater as their Raw Water Source. They typically install a Borewell & start extracting & using the water. Then water passes through other processes to make the safest water be available to the civilians.

The Water comes from Aquifers

Water, as we know, is stored in the soild, rock, in form of aquifers, which are the pockets where it has been preserved for many many years. The Rainwater, is passed through the soil to the channels and stored again in the earth. The process is called "Infiltration". From here the water is fed to the Borewell, which extracts it from the ground. The specific pockets are "Aquifers".

India uses the maximum Groundwater

India uses maximum groundwater, the most of it (>70%) is used by irrigation, and the rest for other purposes, which consists of Industry & Domestic use as well.

The laws are getting tougher .....

Already, states like West Bengal (Where you need to furnish your groundwater usage strictly), Kerala (where you need to take a permission for the propsed drilling site) & Tamilnadu, (where there are notifies areas not to drill a borewell) have started to implement certain strict laws, which is going to be challenging in future.

The Bottled Water Industry

Still, there is a good ground for the Bottled Water Industry on 2-3 accounts such as ...

It's going to be used for drinking water, the most essential commodity
Comparative water usage is lesser

Consider it in your cash-flow

If you are setting up a unit, please consider another licensing cost (it's no way easy to do business in India ) and the type of permissions too!

Ozonation as Pre-treatment : A New "Must-be" after Covid-19 ?

What is Ozonation ?

Ozonation is the process of adding ozone into the produced pure water in a Bottled Water Plant, before final packing. The very general usage for common man to understand is that it enhances the life by increasing the oxygen level, till the bottle gets opened.

The Whole Process in brief

Ozonation as pre tretment in Bottled Water Plants post Covid-19

Usually Groundwater doesn't need this.The Ozonation is required for Biological Treatment, removing microbes from Source Water. In ground water the chances are lesser, compared to surface water. Bottled Water uses the groundwter mostly, hence no need actually.

But, can be a better additional measure

However, it can be an additional measure to have more purity. And you can also "Market" the same. It can be a great addition to your post covid-19 marketing weapons.

Be careful while paying "Under the Table"

A Mineral Water Plant needs many formalities

A mineral water plant needs many formalities to get completed, out of them the BIS is the most important in case you are establishing a Bottle + Jar Plant. You can go alongwith just the fssai license in case you wish to start a Chilled Water Jar Unit. The Chilled Water Jar Units are not an excellent way for a water business, however, people go with that as it is a very easy option out.

What is this "Under the table" thing ...

Agreed, there may be many places where you might require to pay under the table (common term for bribing) ; you need to be careful. Recently, an entrepreneur from Balirampur Nanded went to a Gram-Sevak to get a "Permission" from a Gram-Sevak for his Mineral Water Plant. The entrepreneur laid a trap through the Anti Corruption Department & caught the Gram-Sevak red-handed.

What can be the permission from a Gram-Sevak ?

If it's Mineral Water Plant, it can be as simple as a Gram -Panchayat NOC. Besides that, if it's an agricultural land etc, the matters go to the collector etc. If you want to run the plant in Gram-Panchayat Area, the Sarpanch or the Gram-Sevak will help you get this NOC, which actually is the starting point for all documentations for the plant.

You can read more about this here

What about the other documents ?

There are many documents & formalities needed for a Mineral Water Plant. You may go to this Video, which explains not just the Documentation Part, but also the Cost of Plant.

How Bisleri maintains quality in a Packaged Drinking Water Plant

Learn from the leaders

Bisleri, as you know, has been there since last 50 years. Who would have thought besides Mr Chouhan, to introduce this concept in a country like India. Truly a visionary, a forward thinker in all respects.

In the following post on Linked-In, he shares how his company takes care of the quality aspect. Also follow the link to the post he has shared to see how Bisleri has handles troubled Covid-19 times.

If you read the post carefully, you will find how important are the quality aspects for a Water Business Success, Also read simple 10-Point tips on Water Plant Quality

10 Points to observe water quality in a Packaged Drinking Water Plant

Water Quality in a Packaged Drinking Water Plant

There are 2 prominent reasons why Packaged Drinking Water is consumed :

Convenience while in transit
Uniform quality irrespective of the place you go to.

However, point no2 is discussed below. There is a Govt Body, the B.I.S. which has made it mandatory to every Packaged Drinking Producer to get the ISI license under standard IS - 14543. And there are also set norms through detailed documentation on how every production unit needs to maintain uniform quality standards.

Point No1 : Follow the Hygienic Standards as per the IS : 14543

In a Packaged Drinking Water Plant, usually, the raw water source is the Borewell Water. The Water Treatment section, with the help of the R.O. Unit, removes nearly all the Minerals from the raw water & adds back the required ones in necessary dosage. These added minerals should be within the prescribed limits defined by the B.I.S. as per the Standard allotted IS-14543. Following & respecting the process is the 1st most important point.

(Video Stamp :- 00:12)

Point No.2 :- Understand "Why" there is a need for consistent monitoring

The Raw water , which comes from ground water is sourced from the aquifers. This quality might change from time to time. This might affect the treatment required for the raw water. Hence it needs a consistent monitoring at various stages on a regular basis, as specified by the B.I.S.

( Video Stamp :- 00:41)

Point No.3 :- Follow the B.I.S. Testing schedule

The B.I.S. has cheated a schedule for testing water. Some tests are 4 hourly, some of them are daily, weekly, monthly etc. Following the schedules as a ritual is the key to quality.

(Video Stamp :- 01:17)

Point No.4 :- Have it all within the Plant itself

B.I.S. has laid down the complete document on its website about the hygienic standards to be followed. It has to be maintained WITHIN the plant itself.

(Video Stamp :- 02:11)

Point No.5 :- Have in house Quality Personnel to maintain it

The B.I.S. has specified 2 separate laboratories : One for Chemical Parameters & One for Microbiological Parameters. These departments are looked after by 2 quality Chemists.

(Video Stamp :- 02:41)

Point No.6 :- Maintain the Labs Properly

The labs should be exactly as per the specified document by IS 14543. Outside labs for daily testing is not allowed. However, certain reports on annual basis & monthly basis are still required from an outside BIS approved lab; but the regular ones from the In-House lab itself. In the hygienic Requiremement, there is a full list of Glassware & Chemicals given.

(Video Stamp :- 03:08)

Point No.7 :- Maintain the Parameters

As the raw water quality changes from time & season, thus the quantum of added minerals if any. However, as mentioned earlier, play within the limits & maintain the records.

( Video Stamp :- 03:32)

Point No.8 :- Be prepared for surprise visits

If you maintain all books & records as per the B.I.S. specifications, you will hardly need to worry about surprise visits. However, you will need to keep a close look at all the departments through diplomatic HR policies etc.

(Video Stamp :- 04:03)

Point No.9 :- Observe your Distribution as well

If BIS finds you faulty samples from any of your Point of Sale (POS) places, without delay they will place a "STOP" mark , meaning you can't start production until it's cleared off. Hence it's not just important to maintain quality at your factory, but also at the POS.

(Video Stamp :- 04:23)

Point No.10 :- Follow fssai rules strictly

Besides the ISI license, the producers also need to maintain the fssai license. Please see to it, observe their rules, schedule & renewals properly. This is also a key quality hack.

(Video Stamp :- 05:22)

These 10 points will cover most of the quality hacks for a Hygienic Packaged Drinking Water Plant.

If you have some question/ something valuable to share, please reply in the comment section. Thanks

10 Low Investment Water Business Ideas

Water Business in Low Investment

Water business is an evergreen business opportunity. However, everyone does not have that huge capital with him or may wish to start small. Through this specially written blogpost, we are presenting 10 useful low investment water business ideas for you.

You can watch this video or can refer to the Ideas from the text form given below. If you read the tips below, you can pick up the one which suits your purpose & follow the Timeline on the Video which corresponds to that.

Here are 10 Useful Ideas to do Water Business in Low Investment :-

Idea No.1 :- Start a Jar Plant , then go for Bottles

If someone is starting a Bottle + Jar Plant, the investment is more, as it involves the Bottle Blowing & Filling Machinery. However, if someone is starting with a 20 Ltr Jar Plant, it doesn't need that much investment.

(Video Timestamp :- 00: 50)

Idea No.2 :- Get Bottles from Outside

If you want to start a Bottle + Jar Plant, you can reduce the investment if you get Bottles from an outside source. This is possible if you are located inside an industrial area where there are a couple of Bottle Making (PET Blowing) Machinery Manufacturers.

(Video Timestamp :- 01: 20)

Idea No.3 :- Buy/ Lease an existing plant

This can also bring your investment to a considerable limit as the machinery might be old. Leasing out cuts down the investment just towards rent.

(Video Timestamp :- 01: 40)

Idea No.4 :- Partnering with an existing unit

You can also invest a little amount in an existing unit. This will again be a low investment option. However, again the ROI needs to be worked out properly.

(Video Timestamp :- 01: 57)

Idea No.5 :- Become Distributor for Existing Brand

This is not only a Low investment option, but also offers you great learning opportunity before you finally setup your plant

(Video Timestamp :- 02: 08)

Idea No.6 :- Establish Your Brand, Get it done from Others

This is official.You can cut down your investment considerably as you are not investing in a Plant. You may just establish your brand & contract with an existing ISI holding unit. This needs just the fssai.

(Video Timestamp :- 02: 24)

Idea No.7 :- Glass Bottling, Premium Market

You target an upmarket, and start with Glass Bottles. Here, the quantities reduce; and the machinery is low cost. You tie up with an existing ISI unit & re-brand your water.

(Video Timestamp :- 02: 41)

Idea No.8 :- Water ATM Business

Water ATM is the Water Vending Machine Business. You can establish a standalone Water ATM Machine and replicate the Idea at several points or can establish a Chain of such ATMs & offer franchise opportunities.

(Video Timestamp :- 03: 00)

Idea No.9 :- Start a CSD Business & Upsell Water

CSD means Carbonated Soft Drinks Business. This again needs just fssai license. You can start this plant at a much lower cost, establish your brand, and later can upsell Bottled water to the same market while getting it done like Idea No.6

(Video Timestamp :- 03: 10)

Idea No.10 :- Create a Water Delivery App

This will be quite in Demand after the Covid-19. You can create app, have a subscription for the same & enlist all the market players. You can also take ads from Google.

(Video Timestamp :- 03: 34)

Raise Capital :-

Once you develop an Idea, get it validated (We do help in this) from experts & raise capital from bank to start your business immediately.

Good Luck !

How to Use Rain Water for a Bottled Water Plant

Usages of Rain Water for Bottled Water Plants

I am looking for answers here for this question, and shall keep on updating the same with the latest information I get from time to time.

Before usage :-

Rainwater should be collected & stored in a proper way before using. It should be stored in huge water tanks. Filtered.

Usages :-

Icreasing the Quantity of Raw Water

If it's mixed with raw water, prior to the treatment, will substantially increase the quantity.

Improving the quality

When mixed with the Raw water, prior to the treatment, will dilute the same & produce a lesser TDS raw water. Thus will generate lesser waste water & reduce the burden on the Membrane too !

When mixed with the Reject Water from RO, again will reduce the TDS, and the waste water can be put to some productive usage like car washing.

(Please post any other usages if you are aware of : write in comments)

Pricing for Bottled Water

The End Price

In India, usually the end price for the "Packaged Drinking Water" is more or less the same (Rs.20) , whereas the "Packaged Natural Mineral Water" prices vary. However, almost 99% water you see in Indian Markets is Packaged Drinking, priced at Rs. 20. And here I wish to talk about that. The thirst quenching market.

Option to control just the distributor pricing

The producer, just has an option to control what price he sells the water to the distributors and NOT the end pricing [a few exceptions like shweppes]. In this scenario, I have observed 3 types of producers :

Type "A" : The National Level brands
Type "B" : The Local Brands
Type "C" : Non-Brands

Type A usually offers 50% margin to the Wholesaler , whereas Type B offers 60 followed by Type C which gives almost 70%.

What Should Your Policy ?

We have observed, that just by reducing prices & matching the lowest you won't survive. Similarly, just by matching the highest, also will effect the same. You can follow a general pricing policy like follows :-

Have a 3 -year plan to match the Type "B" Local Brands, followed by Type "A" in 5-7 years
Start with price little higher that Type "C"
Gradually match to "B" within 3 years
Same in 5-7 years with "A"

Is it that simple ?

Yes, simple, but not easy. You will constantly need to create your "why"s. That's the differentiators.

(For Pricing of Natural Mineral Waters, read the case study )

Water Plant on Your Piece of Land ...

So You have land & wish to setup a water plant

Well, looks like an obvious idea. There are many who have land & Groundwater available and think of putting up a Water Plant. Can they setup ?

To restrict my answer to just THIS question ...

Yes, they can. However, it's not straight away, go & do it. There are certain permissions you will require as it is a commercial activity. Which are those ?

Gram Panchayat NOC if you are not in Municipal area
Industrial NA or suitable permission in city limits
Should not be very near to any Water Source like River, Lake etc. Should be 1 Km away.

For other Land & Building related answers, Please read this post

You can find correct information at the DIC, districts Industries Centre, or can even approach some NGOs like the De-Asra Foundation, who help in startups.

Regards.

How to get ISI Number for Bottled Water ?

(All your questions pertaining to the ISI Licence for Bottled Water in India or B.I.S. are answered, the content is continuously updated)

Why do we need an ISI Number for Bottled Water ?

ISI is issued by the B.I.S. Once you get a valid ISI Number from them, you can mark your labels with the ISI Number , which enables you to officially sell your water within India.

Without ISI, can't anybody use water ?

For usage, you don't need ISI, e.g. if you consume the treated water in your own premise for own consumption, it comes into picture when you decide to "Sell" the same.

Where do we apply for getting an ISI number ?

As mentioned above , the ISI Number is given by the B.I.S. They have a setup procedure, which can be followed from the website from this link.

Is it easy to get an ISI License ?

It's simple, but not easy. You have to observe certain norms to get the ISI Number. Like the Location, Water Source, Neighbourhood, Layout, Quality Assessment etc. It is a step by step procedure to be followed.

Well, How much time it takes to get it ?

As per laws, you should have all the required machinery in place before getting the same. Once this is done, the ISI officials visit your factory & issue license if and until they find everything in order as per the standars (IS 14543 for Packaged Drinking Water and 13428 for Natural Mineral Water). Usually you should be getting it within 2-3 months depending upon the availability of the personnel.

Does this require any fees ?

BIS charges a "Marking" Fee, to mark your bottles with the ISI Number provided. Annually they charge Rs. 1,28,000 ( Check Latest Fees Here), to be renewed every year.

How strict are they ?

It is important to follow all the gudelines properly, ISI officers have authority to pick up any bottle from any sales counter, check it in their labs, and post a "STOP" marking, in case they find it doesn't confirm to the exact standards. This may put a temporary break on your business.

How does a plant observe the procedures ?

Every Plant has to follow a procedure, with in house Labs and supported by Technicians. There are record to be maintained every day, week, month. The BIS officers have authority to visit your factory anytime.

Can I buy water from an ISI approved plant in bulk & sell with repacked in 1 Ltr Bottles ?

Yes. This is possible. However, you can't transport the water to other location. You need to pack at the manufacturer's premise only and re-Label the same. The label will have both the names. Yours as "Marketed by" and ISI holder's as the License holder.

If I don't make Bottles, and just make 20 Ltr Jars, still I need ISI ?

You need ISI License whenever you are selling packaged water in any & every form. Be it Pouch, Bottle or 20 Ltr Jars. And the expense (Fees) is same. Cool Jar doesn't come under ISI.

Can I Pack 5 Ltr Jar, 20 Ltr Jar in the same Plant ?

Not only this, but your same plant can pack all varieties of packing in a single plant. Even all shapes (even if you have different kinds of bottle shapes & designs) of packing can be done from the same plant.

Digital Marketing ... The Only way here onwards !

Are you applying Digital Marketing in your business ?

If yes, accelerate it. If not, immediately start. No time is as good as today !

Recently I was invited to deliver a talk on this subject at the BYST. It will be a 3 Video Series. The first one highlights why it will be a frontline vehicle everywhere. As Water Business onwners, just have a look at it ...

Here is the Video

Here are the 10 Points on How Digital Marketing will become the frontline tool henceforth

People will only meet in person when it's required
The number of Group Meetings, networking meetings will also reduce.
Webinars & Online Meetings will replace physical meetings at a large extent.
Digital Information Exchange becomes Vital.
Quantity and Quantity of Digitally produced Content will be set to rise.
It needs to be created in various formats like Text, Videos,Images, PDF's, Slideshows, Audios.
It needs to be distributed smartly across various platforms for cosumption.
Online Reputation will be the deciding factor for conversion & ROI.
Customer Journey Maps need to be developed for your various products & services.
Digital Customer Engagement will decide the ultimate success for an organization

What is BYST ?

BYST is Bharatiya Yuwa Shakti Trust, who is actively involved since 1992 to transform Jobseekers into Jobgivers. I am proud to be associated as a mentor with them since a decade now. You can visit their Website to know further.

Challenges faced by Packaged Drinking Water Producers

The Challenges in major 2 areas :-

Drop in Sales :-

No Institutional sales like sales to commercial establishments

Usually Packaged Drinking Water is sold to domestic & commercial establishments like corporates, institutions, Shopping Malls etc. That being totally closed, the sales are affected.

Household Sale also down

This sale is down too, as people , out of insecurity, not keeping a stock of water, consuming less, even if it's summer time.

Distributor Sales Very Low

It also depends upon distributors, who too are facing the same issue as discussed above.

Supplies not Available

Due to the Jar Production units not functioning, the distributors need to maintain the rotation of Jars, making it possible to give just 2 jars maximum per house.

Challenges towards Manpower

Deliveries

Due to the timing restrictions, the delivery of Water Jars is greatly affected. Limited amount of deliveries with limited people only can be made during the period.

Production

As the timing is restricted from 6 AM to 1 PM, it is challenging to run the unit in these times, as commuting from a distant place might take 30-45 minutes to reach for a workman/woman, and it's equally difficult to find a vehicle during this period. Results : Production affected.

Quality Control

Every unit has to observe certain guidelines from the B.I.S. It needs to maintain certain daily, weekly reports at the facility & also has to submit certain monthly, quarterly and annual reports to the B.I.S. It's very crucial to maintain this quality. With less people, chances are there to neglect this.

Machinery Maintenance

Mechanics , if not available, will pose an issue to smooth functioning of the unit, if there is a breakdown. It might unethically inspire a unit owner to bypass the Q.C. in order to meet the demand in whichever way.

Solutions & Opportunities

Customer Touch Points

It's an opportunity to take your brand to more people , as the number of customers may increase, though not sales. Can build a database for future, when times are alright. This will also increase your profits substantially.

Ideal Time to develop an App

Through developing a proper Customer Journey Map (CJM) you can visualize the existing process of your sales and develop newer. It needs time, and you have it now. In addition, you also need some phase, like beta to test it on certain number of applications, installations. Once ready, you can implement it in your business, which can be a great additional channel into your business.

Think of Water ATM as another branding & Delivery Channel

Imagine, if there are your Water ATM's installed at locations. People could come there with their own Jars & get the Jars refilled, and these ATMs can be used with RFID cards & vending Coin Options too. The good news is : They can be maintained through mobile apps. Look at the Water ATM Machine Advantages

Kozikode Sets an example in testing times

Corporation sets up App based 4 hour delivery

Look, when the intentions are clear, ideas are more firm. Kozhikode (don't pronounce it straight) aka Calicut Corporation (Kerala State) teamed up with local youth to develop an app to deliver its own Kudumbashree Theertham Packaged Drinking Water to the residents faster in these testing times.When you are listening to news like Dealers are not able to dispatch (read the trichy news), this becomes more apparent.

What did they do exactly ?

Responding to the situation, they developed an app called "Jala" to supply their own "Kudumbashree" Theertham Packaged Drinking Water with a local youth team. The team delivers water to scarcity hit areas within city & around at Rs.30 (when the private suppliers charge Rs. 60-70), within just 4 hours. They take Rs.120 towards to bottle first & then Rs.30 per 20 Ltr Bottle.

The team behind Jala App

I couldn't find that the app on Google Play Store, however, after finding a little more, this is what I got :-

The App is launched by a company based in Kerala, Kozhikode called Vichitram Pvt Ltd. The Company is a Non-Govt Company, established in 2016.

The App can be downloaded from here

Can you too develop such an ethical business ?

Is Corporation Water really that bad ?

Effects of lockdown ..

Cities like Tiruchi in Tamilnadu is facing deep crisis due to the lockdown & containment of areas mainly. Because of which some people say that the Packaged Drinking Water suppliers are not able to deliver the Water Jars to households. If you are aware of Tamilnadu, many cities including Tiruchi aka Trichy aka Trichanapaali aka Tiruchirapally (Official name today). Trichy is a Tier-2 city in India, and has a polulation nearing 10 Lakh (2011 census figure)

The Challenges faced today

One challenge is because of the lockdown : Dealers not able to supply because of sealing of areas. Water is an essential commodity & the people concerning Water Supply as well. Refer this article.

# Shouldn't the Water distributors be allowed little liberally to deliver water at least in these lockdown times ?

Another challenge is an ongoing kind of challenge : The Tap Water Quality. The citizens are scared to drink the corporation water, some complain that it contains too much bleach (chlorine). The Corporation authorities are definitely to be entrusted by citizens about the water quality. However, when 75% of the citizens are buying Packaged Drinking Water, what can be the real solution ?

#Special awareness drive ?

# Water ATM's ? (Advantages of Water ATM's)

Comments welcome !

Plastic Waste from houses : Can you create a Business from this ?

The Situation ..

People sincerely wish to process whatever plastic they have, in an environment friendly way, however, not finding an easy clue to do it easily. And this is an opportunity if you can see as an entrepreneur.

Plastic Processing method at present

In India, the house hold waste is collected from houses by the municipal employees. We are instructed to separate the DRY vs WET. That's all. After this, the municipality separates the same at centres. Here, the Bio degradable & non bio degradable is sorted out. In the non bio degradable category, comes the plastic. In plastic too, there are several types by which they are separated, just have a look at these :-

From the municipal waste, appx 12% is Plastic waste. Out of this plastic waste , around 64% waste is generated from thin carry bags (thus it's the top priority). 9% from PET bottles & 23% from the remaining types. From the 9% again, they say (like Bisleri) that around 90% is already recycled (See what measures Bisleri takes to recycle the PET)

How the Waste gets processed ...

The PET Bottles : For creating yarn from it & apparels, clothes ultimately. See this blogpost

All Plastics : Road Construction, Incineration at Cement Kilns, Waste to Fuel, Granules creation can be the other ways. Creative ways like Making Paver Blocks have also emerged. You can see the Plastic Waste Management rules for details on this, setup by the Govt.

Note : Industries have a different procedure for this. However the procession remains the same.

Let's talk about the opportunity

Sorting & Processing Service : You can establish a local service with a Reverse Vending Machine (On wheels), separate & collect waste from societies, and supply to various places mentioned above & earn good revenue.

Do you have any other idea ? please post in comments please !

Rail Neer Plants & Distribution

There was a news that Railways is coming up with 9 new plants in addition to its existing 10 plants in the country. This decision was taken mainly to meet the demand across railway stations. At present IRCTC meets just 45-50% demand. By adding these, it plans to meet the additional demand.

These Plants are existing :-

Nagloi (Delhi) : North Zone
Danapur (Patna, Bihar) : East Zone
Palur (Chennai, TN) : South Zone
Ambernath (Mumbai, Maharashtra) : West Zone
Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) : North Zone
Parasalla (Thiruvantanapuram, Kerala) : South Zone
Bilaspur (Chhattisgad) : Central Zone
Hapur (UP) : North Zone
Sanand (Ahmedabad, Gujarat) : West Zone
Mandideep (Bhopal, M.P.) : Central Zone

The New Locations Coming Up :-

Nagpur (Maharashtra) : Central Zone
Sankrail (Horah, W.B.) : East Zone
Jagi Road (Guwahati) : North-East Zone
Jabalpur ( M.P.) : Central Zone
Bhusawal (Maharashtra) : West Zone
Una (H.P.) : Extreme North
Vijaywada : (A.P.) South Zone
Visakhapatnam : (A.P.) South Zone
Bhubaneshwar : (Odisha) East Zone

Points of note :-

The Location of the plants must have been selected strategically. Particullarly the area it caters to. For example :

Amethi is in North Zone, but it also caters to the eastern part of the country.
Nagpur is in Maharashtra, West Zone State, but location is in the centre of the country
North East also they are coming up with plant at Guwahati
States like Karnatak doesn't have any plant. The reason can be the thickest populated is Bengaluru can be sourced with the Chennai & Thiruvanantapuram plants (?)
Hyderabad is such a major junction, misses a plant in Telangana. Are the new locations at Vijaywada & Vizag are going to source it ? Or the Nagpur one ?
Gujarat, Rajasthan... what about these areas ?
Even in north east, there should be at least 2 additional locations.

Out of Box ...

Can the plants be just at locations where there is no challenge of water ? And why not store (the railways can definitely afford it) the over flowing rainwater from regions like Kerala, North-East, Himalayas & the Sahyadris ? As it is, IRCTC enjoys the advantage of free transportation (their trains as it is run across). This will save tremendous amount of Groundwater being extracted
The IRCTC ATM's will be supplied with this water. This will not only save Groundwater extraction but also save earth from plastic

Comments Welcome !

Is Your Bottled Water Original ?

How to Check the Water Bottle if it's Original ?

Packaged Drinking Water Bottles are bought on the go from shops. However, while paying Rs. 20, how can we know for sure that it's original ? Here are a few ways :-

1. Check if the ISI mark is dominantly mentioned on the Bottle Label First.

ISI Mark is issued by the BIS, You can also check whether the licence is upto date/Expired/Not renewed etc

STOP Marking meaning the quality of water has certain issue & the said firm is said to STOP marking the ISI Number on the label.

2) Check the fssai details : Besides the ISI Mark, the producer should also obtain a valid fssai license. It is also mandatory for some agency getting it packed from some other producer

Bottle Showing Both Details : ISI & fssai

You can also check the status of the fssai License as well :-

3) Finally , Check the Batch No & Packing Details on the Neck :-

If you see any discrepancy, please call up the customer care number of the said company & inform them about it. Many a times, the firms might have paid all dues , but the websites do not reflect that. And even if still a problem remains, then you may make suitable complaints.

How to Convert Text Post into an Audio Post ?

1) I Use an App called "Pocket"

There is an app on Android called "Pocket".

2) And use their desktop Site as well called "Getpocket"

Whenever I come across any good, worthwhile article, I copy the URL & add this to pocket. See Image

How to Add URL to "Pocket"

3) How do I listen to ?

Now go to the mobile App & Use the "Headphones" Icon, that's it. And yes, Using Tags can get you to any subject of your choice whenever you seek it!

Audio Conversion & Tagging from Pocket

Excerpts from Mr Shroff's thoughts on the World Water Day

On Earth, Sweet Water is just 3% , rest is the salt water, locked in Oceans. Out of the 3%, 69% is locked in form of glaciers, 30 % is groundwater. Lakes & Other surface water is the balance. How can it cater to the ever increasing human population ?
Rapidly changing climatic conditions & Burst in population prevents the equipment manufacturers like Eureka Forbes (Premium Brand Owner: Aqua Guard) real development of solutions.
Fast melting glaciers is countering the Global Warming; however it's a half-truth. Rio Santa, one of the largest Glacial river flowing from the Andes Mountains is already facing a deep glacial melt. Meaning either the snow is reducing or else. Point is : these regions like Peru, are facing a drop in the river's water.( More articles on this subject)
On the other hand, due to global warming, the ocean levels are rising, by which the salt water corrupts the already scares surface water like rivers and rice crops get inducted with this salt water. The sea level doesn't just increase by glaciers melting, but also due to thermal expansion of the sea water. So, it's a dual Challenge : Global Warming & Glaciers Melting.
Water Pollution & Water Wastage is making the balance fresh water unmanageable. Making the distribution a real time difficult situation.
Groundwater is also depleting very fast. For this, immediate steps need to to be executed to recharge the aquifers. The waste water is contaminated and makes it difficult for people to consume it directly, without treatment.
His company has introduced a solution (Green RO Technology) which does prevent the natural minerals in water, at the same time reduces the heavy metals dangerously present.
In addition he also recommends Water ATMs as the next level solution.

Advantages of Water ATM Machines

Water ATM offers many advantages in current times

Doesn't need any packaging, hence unaffected by the lack of supply of preforms etc.
The most cheapest form of Pure Water as the major cost holding packaging & transportation element is gone
Saves the earth from the usage of Plastics
Can offer local level entrepreneurial opportunities
Can be setup in lesser cost than a Packaged Drinking Water Plant
Can source water from nearby ISI Plant
Needs just the fssai License as of now, doesn't need ISI

Challenges Faced :-

The hygienic conditions need to be maintained properly at these booths.
Govt funded ATM projects are not maintained properly, as a result a lot of defunct Water ATM's.

Solutions :-

Water Business Entrepreneurs should come up with better Water ATMs.
Existing Packaged Drinking Water Plants should also look into building their own, branded Water ATMs like the Money ATMs.
Pricing the 1 Ltr Water typically between 2-3 Rs. will be most ideal to establish a Franchise chain as one can easily beat the unnecessarily over priced IRCTC water at 5Rs. per ltr.

Bisleri is already in this business....

Extended Producer's Responsibility

If you're thinking about bottled water business, you're probably getting me wrong. The whole world knows that. I'm talking about something else: The EPR. the extended producers responsibility thing. In very simpler terms it's gonna be the waste producer's responsibility to manage the product till the end of its life, in order to protect the environment from is bad effects, particularly for plastic products if they're used in any of its packaging.

Bisleri is already into this from 4-5 years....

Bisleri, since it's the largest producer in the country has already been doing this. It seems to be conducting awareness campaigns, recycling drives and many things in this space. They have introduced special website called BOTTLES FOR CHANGE; through which is already started collecting plastic waste and effective management of the waste generated by them.

Glass Bottles for Bottling : Is that a viable Idea ?

Existing Method of Bottling

At present, PET Bottles are used for bottling water & other beverages. However, after observing the serious impacts of Plastic, the PET bottle industry & the overall water industry which grew out of the convenience of using plastic has come under threat of existence. Particularly due to P.M.'s declaration of "Phasing the single use plastics upto 2022".

Is glass the option ?

Glass looks like the option. However, it poses many challenges. Mainly the production (Quantities), the tremendous amount of energy needed to produce glass, the transportation, the breakage, handling, crushing, and finally... the cost.

The habits are difficult to be reversed

It is easy to say "Recirculate the old used bottles", however, we are so much used to the "throw" life-style (thanks to the westerners) that using something which is already used, is considered unhygienic for no reason. At one point we say-"Re-cycle" and refuse to rinse & use the already used thing. The glass industry is also (for what) against using seconds bottles.

Is the Water in the Used Bottles good ?

If the bottles are washed, rinsed properly, then why not ? (counter-question). At homes, we do use these bottles, in the medicine & beverage industry it was a regular method, even the cold-drink bottles are still following the same route, then why not ? It is perfectly safe, hence perfectly good.

In time to come, don't get shocked to see Water Shoppees with a Water Vending Machine (ATM) & branded bottles (Glass) with used ones too !

Other opinions :- Read Quora Q & A for this subject