Water Wheel: Carrying water has never been easier; how a simple invention changed the lives of over 3,000 families

Men in some Indian villages marry twice or thrice due to water scarcity so that there would be someone in the household to fetch water. They might have to walk miles thrice or more daily fulfil the water requirement of the entire family. A short film, The Water Wives, released in 2015, had earlier talked about this shocking situation in the country.

To support thousands of women in India, NGO Habitat for Humanity India has introduced water wheel, a cylindrical plastic container that can hold over 45 litres of water, and the handles help people to roll it on the ground without physical strain that occurs while carrying water pots on head, shoulders or waist.

International Business Times, India got in touch with the Rajan Samuel, the Managing Director of Habitat for Humanity India, who has opened up on the water wheel project that has helped thousands of women in Maharashtra, so far.

Here are the excerpts of the conversation:

International Business Times, India: When was the water wheel project introduced in India?

Rajan Samuel: The water wheel is a simple, effective tool designed for people who lack reliable access to water for their household purposes. With the support from Wello Water, a social venture, Habitat for Humanity India introduced the water wheel project in 2015. The first project was at Paithan Block, in the district of Aurangabad, Maharashtra, where 500 water wheels were handed over to the natives. 

IBTimes, India: What was the inspiration? 

Rajan: Over the years, the drought-like situation in the country has led to water scarcity in many villages in India. Maharashtra has been one of the worst affected states due to this. The situation is unfortunate there during summers when the wells dry up and there would be hardly any water for the entire village. Also, women in these villages suffer severely as they have to travel long distances to fetch water. They would have to wake up early morning for this tedious task, which would go on for more than an hour and would have to take multiple rounds to and fro from the water source. As a result, they will suffer from a sore neck and back. It was only ideal to help families in need through the intervention of the water wheel.

IBTimes, India: In how many villages people use this innovation as part of your project? 

Rajan: The water wheels have been provided in 6 districts of Maharashtra, including Aurangabad, Osmanabad, Solapur, Latur, Nanded and Raigad.

IBTimes, India: How many families are estimated to have benefited with this so far? 

Rajan: Over 3,442 families have been benefitted through the water wheels till date.

IBTimes, India: The response of the people who are using it?

Rajan: We have received tremendous response from women, who were given the water wheels across villages in Maharashtra. The water wheel has given them an improved and healthy lifestyle. Through various self-help groups and discussions at the village level, they understood the impact a waterwheel could have on their daily routine. It has also empowered women, and even men in the villages are using it these days. It has become a symbol of social development. Young and old, many have benefitted because of the water wheel concept in their own way.

"If not for the water wheel, I would have spent nearly Rs 18,000 to get water from a tanker for a month. I have managed to save that money by providing water for the construction of my new home all by myself with this water wheel. I couldn't be more thankful to Habitat India for my new home and this water wheel," says Sunanda Kharate, Osmanabad, Maharashtra

"Fetching water in two to three water vessels on a daily basis caused a lot of discomfort. I was not able to allocate time and energy in other daily chores. When my family was provided with the water wheel, the situation changed and made my life easier. It requires less physical energy. I can now focus and equally allocate time and energy in my daily chores. One waterwheel has made a major difference in my life," says Noorjahan Aspak Shaikh, Aurangabad, Maharashtra

My family consists of five members and our daily requirement of water is usually high. During my pregnancy it was impossible for me to fetch water from remote locations for my family. After we were provided with a water wheel, it consumed less time and effort to fetch water. Water wheel was like a gift from God to me during my pregnancy. My son filled the water during those days and he even continues to do it today. My children are able to help me without compromising on their study time. Everyone within the family is happy," says Wahida Sheikh Ismail, Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

IBTimes, India: How much does it cost for a single water wheel? 

Rajan: The approximate cost of a water wheel is pegged at around Rs 3,000. In some cases, the cost can even go till Rs. 4,500. Habitat India serves families even in remote villages, which are difficult to access. Thus, the cost differs from village to village as it is dependent on the number of water wheels provided, logistics and travel cost. If the demand is plenty, then the cost can come down.

IBTimes India: Do you get sufficient financial support from people?

Rajan: In terms of financial contribution, families do contribute to a sum of Rs 100 to 300. This ensures the ownership of people towards the water wheels. In addition to this, their financial support covers local transportation, warehousing and administration cost. It also enables us to scale up.

IBTimes, India: What are your further plans for introducing this to other Indian villages? 

Rajan: Currently, there is still an extensive need for the water wheels in Maharashtra itself. Our plan this year is to reach out to more families in the districts we are already working as well as explore other places, which are going through a tough time. Along with this, we have proposed initiating the water wheel intervention in the North India through our Habitat India office in Delhi and in South India through our offices in Bengaluru and Chennai.