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Kolkata-based cleantech company AKVO designs and manufactures a range of atmospheric water generators (AWG) that require no water source to produce purified drinking water from the atmosphere. Water made using AWG technology from AKVO costs only Rs 1.75 to Rs 2 per litre.

Water scarcity reports have become the norm across the globe. And our country has not managed to avert the crisis. According to a 2018 WaterAid report, over 12 percent of India’s population is already living the ‘Day Zero’ scenario, thanks to excessive groundwater pumping, an inefficient and wasteful water management system, and years of deficient rains.

Innovation is the need of the hour and a Kolkata-based company is doing just that by producing pure drinking water out of air.

Sounds like magic? Well, it is science, says AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems, which claims to be the first player in India to manufacture atmospheric water generators indigenously.

Atmospheric water generators (AWG) are machines that can produce water from air. They work on electricity and use the simple process of condensation and filtration to produce fresh and clean water, without requiring any external source of water.

Using the AWG technology, the Kolkata-based company replicates the natural process of condensation by simulating a dew point, which allows it to make water continuously, even in low humidity conditions.

The brainchild of Kolkata based second-generation entrepreneur, Navkaran Singh Bagga, who started this venture in 2017, AKVO works on a simple plug and play method and consumes one unit of electricity to run for an hour.

The brainchild of Kolkata based second-generation entrepreneur, Navkaran Singh Bagga, who started this venture in 2017, AKVO works on a simple plug and play method and consumes one unit of electricity to run for an hour. 

Says CEO Navkaran,

“The water resources in the world are fast depleting, and it is time to make the world water positive and renew our groundwater sources. One of the solutions to this is AWG. By generating your own water, you reduce the consumption of groundwater and help in renewing and replenishing our groundwater resources. These factors made me reflect and lead my team in manufacturing AKVO, which is future-ready.”

Navkaaran points out that while marketable water is available from Rs 15 to Rs 20 per litre and always has the cleanliness suspicion tag attached with it, water made using the AWG technology from AKVO costs only Rs 1.75 to Rs 2 per litre.

“AKVO gives you complete water independence without having to be bound to pipelines and water sources. Ours is India’s most cost effective machine that uses the least amount of power to generate the most amount of water, with zero environmental impact,” the Founder adds.

How AWG works

AKVO currently has five versions of the machine available: 36K which produces 100 litres/day, 55K, which produces 150 litres/day, 110K, which produces 300 litres/day, 180K, which produces 500 litres/day, and 365K that produces 1,000 litres/day. Navkaran says the company also customises the machine according to the user’s need

AKVO’s machine depends on the humidity and temperature in the geographical location it is installed in. It is designed to run at temperatures ranging from 10-degree Celsius to 60-degree Celsius with humidity factor of 30-80 percent, making it a viable model to deploy in coastal and hilly areas, especially in tropical countries that are rich in atmospheric moisture content. 

“We will be launching a household model in 2020 and it will be a certain game changer. We are also working on a table-top model that can replace bottled water at hotel rooms, reducing the plastic usage and also saving the environment,” says Navkaran.

Our current machines can also be used for domestic purpose but since the capacity range starts from 100 litres per day, we are coming up with a more compact model which can produce 25 litres per day and would suit an average household,” Navkaran adds.

AKVO is using heat exchange and refrigeration technology to generate water from air. 

The team

AKVO consists of a team of 25 members, nine of which work in production, research, and prototyping. 

AKVO’s global sales and marketing head Pradeep Verma is a veteran of the water industry having worked with Eureka Forbes and then Marmon Holdings, Inc, which is a Berkshire Hathaway company. Verma has over two decades of experience in sales and business development having exposure to Indian and other South Asian markets across industries.

AKVO Team

AKVO Team

Founder Navkaran has an undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK and also holds an MBA Degree from The SP Jain Institute of Management Research. 

He is also the Director at Trishan Metals Pvt Ltd which is a joint venture with IFB Industries Ltd for manufacturing specialised Automotive Grade Steel. Navkaran has also been the Chairman of ALFA Network, the Youth Forum of Assocham, which has a clear focus on promoting entrepreneurship in India. He was also the Vice-Chairman of the CII-Yi Kolkata Chapter for the year 2016.

The target audience

Navkaran says that AKVO’s target audience will comprise anyone who needs fresh pure drinking water or areas that are facing water crisis due to depleting natural resources or people looking for an environmentally safe and renewable source. 

AKVO has been successful in making its presence felt across the globe and in India. “We have a significant number of customers from all industries and I’m proud to say that at least 5,000 people consume water from our machines daily,” says Navkaran.

A dusty hamlet in Damoh region of Madhya Pradesh, with a population of around 1,500, faced acute water scarcity with no proper water system. The Public Health and Environment Department of Madhya Pradesh approached AKVO to come up with a solution. Now, after 10 months after the installation of the AKVO 365K machine unit in Hardua, villagers receive about 1,000 litres of fresh drinking water every day from air.

Over 50 machines have been installed in Chennai—which faced a severe water crisis last year—across schools, residential complexes, private institutions, etc. The company is also in talks with other big MNCs in Chennai to install the machine at its offices. 

Over 44 AKVO machines have been installed at the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium, with an order for over 350 more. 

To strengthen their proposition in the Middle East, AKVO has also installed its new 300 litre machine at SEWA (Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority). DP World, a logistics company in Dubai, has installed its first machine in its Dubai port.

NTPC, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd Haldia, and other government bodies are working with AKVO machines to provide clean drinking water.

Six machines have been installed in Lakshadweep island as well in association with the local government. 

The present outlook and future

The  Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) report released by the Niti Aayog in 2018 states that by 2030, the country’s water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of millions of people and an eventual six percent loss in the country’s GDP.

“For a product like AKVO, the future is like a treasure box as there are multiple channels through which this product can serve humanity as a whole. The water produced from AKVO AWGs agree very well with the standards set by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The tests were also agreeable with the standards set by ISO 10500, 2012, and has been marked safe for drinking,” Navkaran explains. 

AKVO has grown 3X in the last three years and is looking at continuing the growth momentum for FY20-21 as well.

Presently, AKVO has sold over 200 machines worldwide. It is bootstrapped so far but is planning on raising funds soon as the firm is currently in talks with a few investors.

While speaking about the revenue, Navkaran adds, “Currently, we’re at a top line of a little over Rs 2 crore and with an expanding distribution network and new markets in the Gulf, we expects to hit our target of Rs 12 crore in the coming financial year.”

There are a few other players in the industry like Watermaker, but Navkaran claims that AKVO is the largest AWG manufacturer in India. “We’re the lowest in power consumption per litre of water generation globally,” he adds.

According to the CWMI report, 21 major cities (Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and others) are in the danger of reaching zero groundwater levels by 2020, affecting access for 100 million people. The country clearly needs immediate and long-term solution like AKVO’s AWG to effectively address the water scarcity issue.

(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)

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APN News

APN News

Hyderabad, If the current pandemic has brought with it a lesson, it is that of being self-sufficient.  Each growing day, it is making the human race realize the importance of being ready for an uncertain future. To meet this challenge to some extent, India’s largest AWG manufacturers, AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems Pvt Ltd have introduced the country’s first home model of Atmospheric Water Generator, AKVO Pod, in Hyderabad, a machine that can produce pure and healthy drinking water from air. The machine is ideal for homes, offices and small businesses and can make up to 50 litres of pure drinking water per day. AKVO atmospheric water generators are equipped with a superior filter system that has an antimicrobial air filter to remove impurities from the air and UV Type C filtration to destroy any harmful microbes.

The water warrior, Mr. Navkaran Singh Bagga, Founder and CEO AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems Pvt Ltd, speaking about the launch of the all new AKVO POD, the first indigenously Made in India, atmospheric water generatorsaid, “Although being home to nearly a sixth of the world’s population, India only gets 4% of the Earth’s fresh water. It has been our endeavour to change the dynamics by bringing water supply to the Indian masses at a very cost efficient and sustained manner. 70% of Indians have poor or no access to safe drinking water and 22% of Indians do not have water reaching their homes. With only 60% of water available for consumption by 2030 we are alarmingly marching towards a crisis that will require human intervention right away otherwise we will stare at a third world war and this time over water.”

He further added, “During this ongoing pandemic people are unsure about the safety and cleanliness of the bottled water jars used widely in offices and homes as it changes many hands and may be contaminated. This has propelled the demand for a home/office machine which can produce pure drinking water without any contamination. Our machines come with the highest level of UV filtration – Type C- that can help kill viruses and bacteria of the highest order. We hope, with AKVO Pod, we can reduce some of our dependency on groundwater and make ourselves future ready and water independent.”

In 2019, a sluggish monsoon that brought little rainfall in Telangana, had put Hyderabad on the brink of a water crisis with only 48 days of drinking water left. After Chennai, it would have been the second city to run out of water. Although the state Government has taken necessary measures to avoid such a circumstance, it is but a harsh reality that the entire country is staring at the face of acute water crisis. 12 per cent of India’s population is already living the ‘Day Zero’ scenario, thanks to excessive groundwater pumping, an inefficient and wasteful water management system and years of deficient rains. According to the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) report released by the Niti Aayog in 2018, 21 major cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and others are racing to reach zero groundwater levels by 2020, affecting access for 100 million people. The Chennai water crisis of last year gave an experience of the seriousness of the issue. The CWMI report also states that by 2030, the country’s water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of millions of people and an eventual six per cent loss in the country’s GDP. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that an individual requires around 25 litres of water daily for meeting his/her basic hygiene and food needs. The world and our country need an immediate and long-term solution to the water issues.

AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems is a pioneer in producing India’s first indigenously manufactured atmospheric water generator. AKVO Pod provides safe and pure drinking water using the AWG technology which replicates the natural process of condensation by simulating a dew point, which allows it to make water continuously, even in low humidity conditions. AKVO Pod works on a simple plug and play method and consumes half a unit of electricity to run for an hour. The AKVO Pod has been priced at INR 99,000 inclusive of GST with direct to home delivery and installation.

AKVO has sold over 200 machines in India and Gulf countries. Moreover, the water generated by AKVO is cheaper than any RO/UV or bottled market water. While the RO/UV filtrated water wastes 4 litres of water for just 1 litre of drinking water, AKVO has zero water wastage. The bottled mineral water jars which is marketed is available anywhere between INR 4.50 to INR 5.00 per litre and always has the cleanliness suspicion tag attached with it, while the cost of water generated through AKVO AWG is only INR 1.75 to INR 2.00 per litre. The products of AKVO are designed to run at temperatures ranging from 10-degree Celsius to 60-degree Celsius with humidity factor of 30-80%, making it a viable model to deploy in coastal and hilly areas, especially in tropical countries that are rich in atmospheric moisture content. Even bigger units ranging from a 100 litres per day to 1000 litres per day are also available for larger usage.  

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Business World

Pure Drinking Water ‘From Air’ Units For Home @Rs 1 Lakh: AKVO

But with no regulation or certification for Atmospheric Water Generators (AWG), companies cannot package and market these products says Navkaran Singh Bagga, Founder & CEO, AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems

Say good bye to water scarcity at home or in your office. Kolkata-based firm AKVO Water System brings the ‘Akvo Pod‘, an atmospheric water generator ideal for homes, offices and small businesses. This unit can make up to 50 liters of pure drinking water per day (apart from offering bigger machines for generating 1000 liters per day and more). The Akvo Pod, the company claims, uses a superior filter system that delivers pure and healthy drinking water at only Rs 2 per liter. “The only cost to operate the machine is its electric consumption making it a cost effective machine that uses the least amount of power to generate the most amount of water – with zero environmental impact,” says Navkaran Singh Bagga, Founder & CEO, AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems.

Atmospheric Water Generators (AWG) are machines that can produce water from air. They work on electricity and use the simple process of condensation and filtration to produce fresh and clean water which can be used as per one’s needs. No external source of water is required whatsoever. There are only a handful of companies that are offering such products, AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems being one of them.

The landing cost of Akvo Pod, Bagga says, is Rs 99,000 including complete installation and change of filters once every year. The company is also offering a bigger unit with the daily capacity of 100 liters per day (lpd) at Rs 1.99 lakh, for home/office use. Even bigger units are also available for larger usage.

Bagga says AKVO works on a simple plug and play method and consumes one unit of electricity to run for an hour. AKVO has now become India’s largest AWG manufacturer with over 200 machines sold in India and Gulf countries.

The company says its products are designed to run at temperatures ranging from 10-degree Celsius to 60-degree Celsius with humidity factor of 30-80%, making it a viable model to deploy in coastal and hilly areas, especially in tropical countries that are rich in atmospheric moisture content. The machines are rated for different run times and generation capacities. For example, one model can run for 24 hours and produce 100 litres in ideal condition. It draws 250Wh of energy per litre of water generated which also reduces the stress on the grid when runs on power generated from localised renewable sources.

Big Challenge 

There has been and will be multiple challenges, says Bagga. “We are facing a lot of challenges policy wise at the moment as till now there is no BIS Certification for AWG’s but BIS Certification is available for RO and UV filtered water. Although AKVO AWGs is way ahead in terms of the purity of the water, TDS levels yet we cannot package and market this water as there is no opportunity to apply for certification from Government. Secondly, the ever-growing dependence on underground water sources must stop. With more stringent policies which is the need of the hour unethical usage of groundwater and boring needs to be discontinued. The scale of AWGs in India is enormous and with the right guidelines,” Bagga adds who holds an undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK and also hold an MBA Degree from The SP Jain Institute of Management Research.

Currently, AKVO has a top line of a little over Rs 2 crore and with an expanding distribution network and new markets in the Gulf, it expects to hit its target of Rs 12 crore in the coming financial year. “We’ve grown 3x in the last 3 years. And for FY 20-21 we will continue our growth momentum,” says Bagga.

Successful Usage 

AKVO played an instrumental role in providing an alternative solution in water scarcity hit Chennai during the summer months of 2019 which drew global attention. The Greater Chennai Corporation had installed AKVO atmospheric water generator in its premises on a trial basis. The company is in talks with other big MNCs in Chennai to install the machine at its offices. Currently over 50 machines have been installed in Chennai across schools, residential complexes, private institutions etc.

Over 44 AKVO machines have been installed at the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium, with an order for over 350 more. To strengthen their proposition in the Middle East AKVO atmospheric water systems have also installed their new 300 litre machine at SEWA (Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority). DP World has already installed their first machine in their Dubai port.

NTPC, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Haldia (6 machines running and providing water to 900 factory workers), Hero Moto Corp has installed one machine in its plant in Haryana, and other government bodies are also trusting AKVO machines in providing clean drinking water. Six machines have been installed in Lakshadweep Island as well in association with the local government.

“We are also setting up a 50-litre machine at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai which will run on a trial basis,” says Bagga.

What’s next for AKVO? “We are also working on a tabletop model which can replace bottled water at hotel rooms, reducing the plastic usage and also saving the environment,” says Bagga.

Cost Dynamics

This water is cheaper than any RO/UV or bottled market water, the company claims. “While the RO/UV filtrated water wastes 4 litres of water for just 1 litre of drinking water, our machine has zero water wastage. The bottled mineral water which is marketed is available anywhere between INR 4.50 to INR 5.00 per litre and always has the cleanliness suspicion tag attached with it, while ours costs only INR 1.75 to INR 2.00 per litre,” Bagga says.

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RJ Deepika

WATER FROM AIR! Miracle Invention “AKVO” | No More WATER Scarcity | Future of Water
Recently I have got this opportunity to endorse this Miraculous Product “AKVOPOD” And I am so excited to share the whole story of getting Associated with this Brand AKVO. I am Thankful to Mr. Navkaran Singh Bagga for this opportunity and for sharing some valuable info about Akvo in this Video. Please Do Not Miss more Important Information about this product if you want to get the one at your Home, College or Office.
Watch the full story and learn more about the revolutionary “AKVOPOD” by clicking here.

5 Akvo Machines installed at Indian Oil, Haldia.

Inaugurating the Akvo Machine at the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd in Haldia. Installed four Akvo 110k thats makes 300 litres of water per day & one Akvo 36k which makes 100 litres of water per day. Thereby, providing safe, clean drinking water that is created from air to over 1000 employees at Indian Oil Refinery in Haldia.  Continue reading “5 Akvo Machines installed at Indian Oil, Haldia.”