Kollam corporation now gets water from air'

KOLLAM: The Kollam corporation staff will never feel thirsty again. They have now water produced from thin air. The corporation has installed the first-ever 'atmospheric water generator' in the state in its office. The machine absorbs humidity and moisture from the air, condenses it converting it into water, and is given through the outlet after seven layers of filtering. The machine has a capacity to produce  120 litres of water per day. The water generator  costing  around Rs. 2.5 lakh was donated to the corporation office  by Green Gate Enterprises, the sole distributor in the state. It is  manufactured in Mumbai by WaterMaker (India) Pvt Ltd.

“The machine is an answer to the acute drinking water crisis that may face us in future.  The machine that produces the purest form of drinking water will also purify  the surrounding air. It is available in capacities of 120, 250, 500, 1000, 2500, and 5000 litres. There are also 30-litre  water generators for domestic purpose which is scheduled to be launched by December,” Mr Sethu Sunderlal, Managing Director of Green Gate Enterprises told DC.    Inside the water generator, blower driven air is drawn into the system through an air filter. In the machine's housing, a compressor circulates refrigerant through a coil array located in the path of the air providing a temperature differential resulting in condensation.

The condensed water is funnelled into a holding tank. A level switch in the holding tank controls the water making cycle. Water is purified by a 7- stage filtration system and dispensed through multiple dispensing points. As the technology is climate dependent, WaterMakers requires average temperatures between 25°C and  32°C and an average humidity of 70 – 75 percent to produce water as per  capacity. Mobile units and modified water generators for irrigation are also available. The level of purification will be low in machines used to produce water for agriculture.