1. Project Undercurrent
Phase 1 Report
September 2007
[Title]

2. Table of contents
Introduction 3
ExecutiveSummary 7
Researchanddesignprocess 11
Researchasatoolfordesign 12
Fieldstudylocations 16
Whowemet 23
Insightsandopportunities 31
Opportunitymap 32
1.Hierarchyofuse 36
2.Qualityandconveniencetrade-off 42
3.Whatis“clean”? 52
4.Spectrumofempowerment 61
5.Addedvalueforwater 70
Analysisofopportunities 82
Prioritizingopportunities 83
Businessanalysis 88
Designprinciples 90
Nextsteps 94
Appendix:Themesofexploration 97
Collection 98
Treatment 110
Waterqualities 118
Vessels 124
Delivery 134
Vesselcleaning 140
Acknowledgements 143

3. Introduction

4. Introduction
TheUndercurrentprojectaimstoimprovethetransportationandstorageofwaterforhouseholduse,inorder
toimpactthehealthandqualityoflifeoflow-incomecommunitiesinthedevelopingworld.
Webelievethatwecanachievethisgoalinseveralways:
·Improvethewaysinwhichpeoplegetandusewateratthehouseholdlevel
·Providechoicestopeoplebeyondwhatiscurrentlyavailable
·Enablelocalmarketsandprivatesectoractorstoimprovehowwaterisaccessedandusedbylow-income
households.
4

5. Project scope
(Reuse)
Collect Transport Store Dispense Use Discard
(Clean) (Deliver) Store Dispense Discard
Thejourneyofwaterinthedevelopingworld.
Thejourneyofwaterinthedevelopingworldisacomplicatedone,filledwithproblemsandworkarounds
ateverystage,fromtreatmenttotransporttouse.Itisalsoincrediblydynamic,eachpersontailoringit
tohisorherownneeds.
FortheUndercurrentproject,wehavechosentofocusonthetransportandstorageofwaterfor
householduse,assumingthatwateristreatedatthesource.
Ourresearchnecessarilyincludestheentirejourney;inordertounderstandtransportandstoragewe
mustunderstandthecontextthatitfitswithin.
Theclean,deliver,andreusestagesinthejourneydonotalwaysoccur.
5

6. Project timeline
Phase1 Phase2
Phase1 Phase2 Phase3
Createconcepts Developfinalproductsand
Maptheopportunityspace
andselectdirections solutions
·Identifyinsights
·Selectdesignchallengesfor ·Createimplementable
·Articulatedesignchallenges
furtherinquiry solutions,productsand/or
·Illustratepreliminary
·Buildprototypes services
opportunities
·Seekfeedbackfromthefield
·Refineopportunities
6

7. Executive Summary

8. Executive summary
Inourresearch,weidentifiedfivekeyinsightareasrelatedtothetransportandstorageof
householdwater.Eachoftheseinsightsprovidesdirectionforinnovationanddesign.
1. Hierarchy of use
Insight: People’swaterbehaviorreflectsahierarchyofuse:wateristreateddifferently
dependingonitsuse.Specificusescorrespondtodistinctbehaviorsaroundcollection,
treatmentandstorage.
Design challenge:
Designsolutionswhichenablepeopletosegregatewaterinasafeway.
-Acknowledgeandenablethenuancedbehaviorsofchoosingwatersourcesandvessels.
-Considersolutionswhichmakewaterstoragenon-intrusiveinthehome.
8

9. Executive summary
2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Insight: Qualityandconveniencearethemostimportantfactorsinfluencingpeople’s
selectionofawatersource.Peopleareoftenforcedtotradeonefortheother,sacrificing
cleanwaterforconvenientaccess.
Design challenge:
Improvetheconvenienceofqualitywatersources.
-Improvetheexperienceofcollectingwateratacommunitytap.
-Evaluatewaystoextendthephysicalreachofanexistingwatertreatmentplant.
-Accommodatepeoplewhoarecarryingwateroverlongdistances.
3. What is “clean”?
Insight: Therearefewreliableindicatorsofwatersafety,soifitlooks“clean”,people
assumeitissafe.
Design challenges:
Helppeopleevaluatewaterqualityandunderstandthenatureofcontamination.
-Provideindicationsandirrefutableevidenceofwaterquality.
-Usemessagingwhichissimple,understandable,andconsistent.
Leverageexistingbehaviorsandbeliefsaboutkeepingwaterclean.
-Encouragecleaningbehavioratthesitewherewateriscollected.
-Improveeffectivenessofcleaning. 9

10. Executive summary
4. Spectrum of empowerment
Insight:Manypeoplefeelasenseofresignationabouttheirwateroptions.Particularly
amonglowercastes,peoplearenotempoweredtoinitiatechange.
Design challenges:
Designwatertoolsandservicesthatempowerpeople.
-Empowerpeoplethroughaccurateinformation.
-Leverageexistingmechanismsforinformationsharing(e.g.schools,religion,health.)
-Designsolutionsthatareavailabletodisempoweredpeople,becauseempoweredpeople
willfindtheirwaytothesolutions.
5. Added value for water
Insight: Payingforwaterisapoliticallychargedproposition,butmanyhouseholdspayfor
addedvaluesuchcoolness,clarity,convenienceandhealthsafety.
Design challenges:
Leverageexistingwaterpreferencestomakesafewatermoresoughtafter.
-Considerbrandingtoincreasetheperceivedvalueofwater.
-Associatebrandswithqualitiesbesidessafety(e.g.coolness,flavor,status.)
-Stimulatevalue-addedservices.
-Designtoolsandsystemsfordeliveryentrepreneurs.
10

11. Research and design process

12. Research as a tool for design
Observation and Empathy Looking for Inspiration
Human-centereddesignstartswithpeople. Oneofthedistinguishingfeaturesofdesignresearch
Understandingpeople’sbehaviors,choicesand istheemphasisoninspiration.Inthesearchfor
needsguidesthedesignteamtowardsidentifying inspiration,thedesignteamseeksout“typical”
newopportunitiesforinnovation.Allofourresearch contextsandstakeholdersaswellasmore“extreme”
methodsfallintotwocategories:observationand contextsandstakeholders.Oftenmoreextreme
empathy.Observationisfundamentallylookingfor casesareabletohighlightissuesandopportunities
patternsinbehaviorsandtools,lookingforwhat thatarelessvisibleinthemainstream.Theresultsof
iscurrentlyworkingwellandalsoareasthatcall ourresearchareinsightsinspiredbyhumanstories,
outforimprovement.Observationvisitsinclude asopposedtostatisticaldatafrommorequantitative
conversationswithpeople,allowingtheman approaches.Theseinsightsarethefoundational
opportunitytodescribetheirchoicesandprocesses. elementsoftheideagenerationstageofthedesign
Empathygoesbeyondthefacevalueofwhatpeople process.
sayanddo.Throughempathizingwithpeople,the
teamisabletorecognizethethoughtsandfeelings A Systems Approach
thatleadtotheobservedbehaviors.
Thestudyofwatertransportandstorageincludes
manydifferentstakeholders:avarietyofpeople
Being in Context
inhouseholdswithdifferentaccesstowaterand
First-handexperienceoftheatmosphereandtools behaviorsaroundwater,andavarietyofproviders
usedintherealworldaddimmeasurablerichnessto whooffertreatedsources,waterdeliveryservices,
thequalityofthelearningprocess.Visitingpeople andstorageandtransportsolutions.Inadditionto
intheirhomesandatthewatersourceprovidesthe specificwater-focusedstudies,theteamwillexplore
researchteamwithvaluableunderstandingabout theretailanddistributionofanalogousproducts,
thelifeandday-to-dayactivitiesofthepersonbeing tounderstandthefactorswhichleadtosuccessful
observed.Observationsatthepointofaccessand introductionofnewofferings.
pointofusewillservetohighlightareasinthewater
“journey”wheredesigninnovationcanhavean
impact.
12

13. Research goals
Ourfieldresearchhadthefollowinggoals:
To understand people’s needs behaviors, To understand rural markets in India
·Understandingexistingsupplychainsforwater
attitudes, perceptions and aspirations in a
·Understandingchallengesassociatedwith
variety of water contexts
·Varietyofwatersources:surfacewater,community productionanddistributionofbulkgoods
wells,municipalstandpipes,waterkiosks,NGO- ·Speakingtopeopleatmanydistributionpointsin
providedbulksupply,andconditionsofscarcity. thesupplychainfornon-waterproducts
·Varietyofwaterquality:frombrackishgroundwater
toimprovedsourcestocertifiedsafewater.
·Ruralandurbancontexts(withemphasisonrural)
·Communitywatersupplyandindividualhousehold
supply
To learn from existing solutions to the challenges
of water access, transport, and storage
·Localorganizationsprovidingimprovedwaterina
bulksupply
·Existingproductsfortransportandstorageof
householdwater
·Understandinghowinstitutionsobtainandstore
water(e.g.schools,medicalclinics)
13

14. Process
1.Conversationswith 2.Fieldnoteson 3.Insightsand 4.Keyinsights
peopleabouttheir eachfamilywemet recurringthemes
livesandwateruse
Examplesfromfirstroundofinsights
14

15. Process
5.Designchallenges 6.Brainstorming 7.Opportunityarea 8.Illustrativeconcepts
exploration
Examplesfromfirstroundofconcepts
15

16. Field study locations
TheteamvisitedruralcommunitiesaroundVijayawada,JodhpurandAurangabadaswellasurbanslums
inHyderabad,DelhiandMumbai.
Wechosesitesforourresearchbasedtwomainfactors.
·Localwaterconditionsandpractices,togetabroadunderstandingofthedifferentproblemsand
solutionsinIndia.
·Partners,tobenefitfromtheexperienceandnetworkstheyhaveineachregionandtolearnfromtheir
workinthewaterspace.
16

17. Field study locations
Hyderabad
InHyderabadwevisitedbothanofficialandan
unofficialslum.Inbothcasesthesearesmall
communitieswhoseprimaryconcernwaseviction.
RajeevGandhiNagarisasmallslumof50families
inthemiddleofthecity.Thefamilywemethas
beenlivinginthesamehomefor40years.14family
membersliveinverysmalllivingconditionslessthan
100squarefeet.Theadultsworkforthegovernment
asstreetsweepersandcanaffordbasicthingsfor
theirhomelikeelectricity.
Theunofficialslumismadeupofconstruction
workerslivingneartheirconstructionsitesintents.
Thoughtheylookverytemporary,manyofthese
familieshavebeenlivinghereforfouryears.The
parentsworklonghourswhichoftenleavesthe
childrenunsupervised.
Governmentwaterisavailablejustashortwalkfrom
mosthomes.Thiswaterisseenashighqualityasit
isthesameaswhatthewealthierinhabitantsofthe
cityuse.
Localpartner:CAPFoundation
17

18. Field study locations
Vijayawada
WaterisabundantintheregionaroundVijayawada.
Mosthomeshavepipedwaterprovidedbythe
governmentafewhourseachday.Thiswaterisnot
highenoughqualityfordrinking,somosthouseholds
collectdrinkingwaterfromothersources(localpond
orwellorpaidaccesstoawatertreatmentplant).
Theprimaryconcernaboutthedrinkingwaterinthis
regionarehightotallydissolvedsolids(TDS)which
areknowntocausejointpain.Greenalgaeisanother
commonconcernandishighlyvisibleonthestorage
vessels(particularlyplastic).
Castedivisionshaveabigimpactonwateraccess
aslowercastestypicallylivefurtherfromthetreated
watersources.
Localpartners:WaterHealthInternational,Naandi
Foundation
18

19. Field study locations
Delhi
DelhiisthepoliticalcapitalofIndia.Wevisitedthe
MolarBundslum,whichhas40,000inhabitants.
Manyofthefamilieshavebeenlivinghereforover10
years.Mostofthehomeshaveelectricityandmany
haverefrigeration.
Mostfamilieslivewithafewstepsofamunicipal
watertap.Thetapsthemselveshavebeenstolen
sothewatercomesoutofabarepipe.Thewater
comesonthreetimesadayandpeoplehavetowait
theirturnbecausethewaterpressureissoslow.It
cantakeupto5minutestofillonepotofwater.
Localpartner:ArpanaTrust
19

20. Field study locations
Jodhpur
TheregionofJodhpurhaswatershortagesevery
year.Theirprimaryconcernisaboutaccesstowater;
waterqualityisasecondaryissue.Thebiginitiatives
intheregioninvolverainwaterharvesting.Digging
largerpondsorcatchments,andmaintainingthese
sourcesthroughouttheyear.
Mostcommunitieshavedevelopedworkaroundsfor
thesehardconditionsthatincludedeliveryofwater
(4000L)bytruckortractorthatfillseitheracommunity
tankorahouseholdstoragetank.
Thewaterqualityisquitepoor.Thetasteissalty
whichmostpeopledislike.Theytalkalotabout
“sweet”water.Thegovernmentprovidesbleach
powderforfreeanditsuseisquitewidespread.
Turbidityisabigconcernanddealtwithbypouring
waterthroughaclothfilterandalsotheuseofalum.
Localpartner:JalBhagirathiFoundation
20

21. Field study locations
Mumbai
ThecityofMumbaiisthefinancialcapitalofIndia,
andhometothelargestslumsinAsia.Throughout
Mumbaithereareinformalandformalslums,the
largestofwhichisDharavi,withapopulation
estimatedtobebetween600,000andamillion.
Theslumsincludeagreatrangeoflivingconditions.
WevisitedahomeinColabawhere15peoplelive
inan8’x10’space,withnoaccesstoelectricityor
runningwater;wevisiteda2-floorhouseinDharavi
whichboastedTVandrefrigerator,andastoragetank
toensure24-houraccesstopipedwater.
Inthepoorerslums,collectionandstoragearequite
difficult.Waterisavailableatcommunitytapsforonly
2-3hoursaday,onafixedschedule;inColabathe
watercomesonat4ameachday.Waterstorageis
constrainedbyincrediblespacelimitations,causing
thesluminhabitantstospilloverintothesidewalks
andstreetsoutside.
21

22. Field study locations
Aurangabad
TheregionaroundAurangabadisknownforits
farming—thesoilisfertile,andthefarmingpractices
areadvanced,soit’soneofIndia’smostproductive
regions.Inrecentyears,themonsoonrainshave
beengood,sofarmersareinvestingintechnologies
toimproveagricultureandimprovementstotheir
homes.
Thetypicalfamilyfarms2-5acresonaplotpassed
downfromtheirparents,withasurfacewellonthe
propertytoprovideirrigationandhouseholdwater
supply.Waterisabundantmostoftheyear,witha
highwatertableuntilMay-June,whenmanyofthe
pondsgodry.
Forthefarmers,thedifferencebetweensubsistence
farmingandsellingcropsinthemarketplaceis
irrigation.Thewealthierfarmersuseelectricorfuel-
poweredpumpstodistributethewatertotheirplots.
Localpartner:IDE-India
22

23. Who we met
[Page Title]
Sandredelisiugueminhenibheldoloreet,velditlorsi.Doloborperacillameu
faciblafaccumalitateetveniamquat.Dipet,quisimquamIduntinutat.
Oboreconumnitutet,quipsusciblafacingetvelisseduisniscilipexerodolorti
niamconsequissedendiamduisnosetnostrudtietat,conseconsequipitnim
duntilisdoloremvelilitincillaatisdoloboreverat.Imeuiscilineugiatacc
Sandredelisieugueminhenibheldoloreet,velditlorsi.Doloborperacillameu
faciblafaccumalitateetveniamquat.
Ourprojectisinspiredbyourinteractionsandconversationswiththepeoplewespenttimewith,intheir
homes,businesses,andcommunities.
23

24. Who we met
Ourresearchincludedconversationswithmanytypesofpeople.
·Partners,tolearnaboutthewaterservicethattheyprovide.
·Peopleinhouseholdsconnectedwiththepartnerorganization(menandwomen,parentsandchildren).
·Peopleinhouseholdsnotconnectedwiththepartnerorganization(menandwomen,parentsandchildren).
·Localentrepreneurs,vendors,andshopkeepers,tolearnaboutlocalmarketinganddistribution,andabout
successfulproducts.
·Schools,tolookatthehandlingofwateronalargerscaleandtounderstandeducationaroundwater.
24

25. Key individuals: Susheela
Susheela Her Home
SusheelalivesinthevillageofDendulurunear Thoughshehasarelativelywellestablished
Vijayawada,AndhraPradesh.Shehas2sons, homecomparedtosomeofherneighbors,she
oneofwhichwhodiedinacaraccident.Her wouldliketorebuildit.Sheisconsideringtaking
threegrandchildrenlivewithherandtheyareall outagovernmentloantodoconstruction.She
supportedbyherremainingsonwholivesinthe haselectricitywhichisusedtorunalightanda
city.Shespendsherdaydoinghousework. television.
25

26. Key individuals: Susheela
Water Collection Drinking Water
Susheelahadaprivatetapinstalledinheryardfor Sheissatisfiedwiththequalityofthemunicipal
afeeofRs.3150($80)andpaysayearlyfeeof water.Someofherneighborspayfordrinking
Rs.360($9)forthisconvenience.Herpersonal waterfromtheWaterHealthplant.Shedoesn’t
tapisonly6feetawayfromthecommunity--there treatherwater,butkeepsdrinkingwaterinaclay
isonlyabushbetweenthem.Theprivatetaps potforcoolingraisedoffthegroundbyatire.1
affordshertheluxuryofnothavingtowaitinline 1/2literplasticbottlesarekeptaroundthehouse
withtheothersandtheuseofhosewhichreaches forconvenience.Metalpotsareusedforstorage
toherhome. andcookingwater.
26

27. Key individuals: Jathi
Jathi Her finances
Herfamilyisinthecarpentryprofessionin Theirhouseisoneofthemoreestablishedinthe
thevillageofNayaDungarpur,nearJodhpur, community.Theyhavesolarelectricitywhichthey
Rajasthan.ShehastwosonswholiveinMumbai; gotthroughasubsidy.TheypaidRs.6000($150)
herdaughtersinlawanddaughterandeight whichtheywereabletofinance.Theelectricity
grandchildrenlivewithher.Theyareahealthy isenoughtopowerafan,twolights,aradioand
familyandJathiattributestheirlucktoGod. aTV.“Godrechargeseveryday.”Thefamily’s
“HealthisluckfromGod”. expensesareminimal(freeelectricity,freewater,
nohealthcosts)thebiggestexpenseisschool
feeswhichareRs.8000/yr($200).
27

28. Key individuals: Jathi
Water collection Drinking Water
Jathi’sfamilyhasastoragetankoutsidetheir Freshnessisimportant;theyonlydrinkwaterfresh
homewhichcollectsrainwaterandiskeptas fromtoday.Yesterday’sleftoverwaterisusedfor
reserveforwhenthepondrunsout(everyMay). washing.Thefamilyisconscientiousaboutwater
Thecommunityundertookaprojecttoenlarge quality.Theyuseaclothfiltertwicebeforedrinking
thepondtoholdwaterlonger.Jathi’sfamily water.Thecommunityaddschlorinebleachto
contributedRs.1500($38)tothiseffort.Jathiis thepondduringtherainyseason.Whenthe
primarilyresponsibleforcollectingwaterfromthe waterrunsoutthefamilyhastopayRs.400($10)
pond(abouta10minutewalk).Shecarries10-20 forwatertobedelivered.Theyviewthistrucked
potseachday.Thiswaterisusedforeverything- waterasverydirtyandrequiresbleaching.
evenforcattle.Thereisalsoamunicipal
standpipethatiscloserbutinfrequentlyflowing.
28

29. Key individuals: Tarabai and Mirabai
Tarabai and Mirabai Water for life
InanAurangabadvillage,Tarabailiveswith Bothwomencomplainedthattheirheadsget
herhusband,twoteenagechildren,andher verytiredafteratransportingwaterfromthe
husband’ssisterMirabai,whowasdivorcedbyher nearestpumpwelltothecementstoragetankat
husbandlastyear.Itisunusualforvillagewomen thebackoftheirhouse.Theborewelliscloser,
todivorce,andthewomenthoughtitwasunlikely butthewaterfromthiswellissalty,whereasthe
thatshewouldremarryorhavechildren.“It’s waterfromthepumpwellis“sweet,fromGod.”
muchhardertobeawomaninthevillage,”Mirabai Bothwellsweredugafteradivinerfromthenext
said,becauseit’sdifficulttogetworkinthefields. village,whomayhavemysticalpowers,came
Bothwomenhavebeenlaborerssincechildhood. andidentifiedthemostlikelywatersources.The
familyhasawaterpump,butit’susedprimarilyfor
farming,notforthehousehold.
29

30. Key individuals: Tarabai and Mirabai
Accepting one’s role Holding on to beauty
Bothwomenshowedrespectformembersof “Drinkingwaterandeatingfruitsandvegetables
theircommunitywhohadacceptedGod’sgifts areimportantforkeepingbeautiful,”thewomen
theirroleinlifewithoutstrivingtoofarbeyond explained,underscoringapotentialopportunityto
theirhumbleroots.WhenweshowedTarabai linkwatersafetytobeauty.Mirabaiusesbeauty
andMirabaithe“HippoRoller”prototype,they lotiontokeepherskinfresh,withthehopethat
explainedthatthemenintheircommunity“would shemaystillre-marry.Tarabai’shusbandlaughs,
notallowustousesuchafancytechnology”and acknowledgingthatshewantstospendfarming
thattheywouldkeepitforthemselves.Mirabai, incomesonclothingandjewelrywhilehe’drather
thedivorcee,saidthatshemightpossiblybeable investinagricultureandhouseholdimprovements.
tofightforuseoftheinnovation,indicatingthat Thisyear,theyplantospendonboth.
herliminalstatusmightallowhertoactoutsidea
woman’straditionalrole.
30

31. Insights and opportunities

32. Opportunity map
Insight
Insight
Insight
Insight
Insight
OurresearchconsistedofmeetingapproximatelysixtyfamiliesandpractitionersinIndia,eachof
whomrevealedinterestinginsightsaboutwaterusage.
Inthisreport,wewilldiscussthe5mostcriticalinsightsfordesignersofwatertransportand
storageinIndia. 32

33. Opportunity map
Design
Challenge
Design
Challenge
Design
Insight Challenge
Eachofthe5keyinsightsislinkedtoasetofdesignchallenges,
whichframetheopportunityforimpact.
33

34. Opportunity map
Opportunity Opportunity
Area Area
Opportunity
Area
Opportunity
Area
Design
Challenge
Opportunity
Design
Area
Challenge
Design Opportunity
Insight Area
Challenge
Opportunity
Area
Theinsightsanddesignchallengesrevealpotentialopportunityareas,
thatwewillbringtolifeinthenextphaseoftheproject.
34

35. Opportunity map
35

36. 1. Hierarchy of use
Insight: Hierarchy of use
Wateristreateddifferentlydependingonitsintendeduse.Specificuses
correspondtodistinctbehaviorsaroundcollection,treatmentandstorage.
Theintendeduseforwaterofteninfluencesthechoiceofsourceandstorage
vessels.Higherqualitysourcesareoftenusedfordrinkingwater,andlower
qualitysourcesforotheruses.Closedvesselsareoftenusedfordrinkingwater,
andopenvesselsforotheruses.
36

37. 1. Hierarchy of use
ThechoicesofonefamilyinVijayawadaarehighlightedingreen.This
familyuseswaterfromthetreatmentplantfordrinking,andpipedwater
forcookingandwashing.Drinkingwaterisoftenpouredfromtheplastic
jugintoaclaypot,forcooling.
SOURCE STORAGE USE
Treatment SafeWater Drinking
Plant PlasticJug
Pipedto Plastic
House Bottle
Cooking
StandPipe ClayPot
Well MetalPot
Washing
Pond Bucket
Truck Large Livestock
Scale
37

38. 1. Hierarchy of use
ThechoicesofonefamilyinJodhpurarehighlightedinyellow.Thisfamily
useswaterfromthewellfordrinkingandcooking,andtrucked-inwater
forwashingandlivestock.Allhouseholdwateriskeptinclaypots.
SOURCE STORAGE USE
Treatment SafeWater Drinking
Plant PlasticJug
Pipedto Plastic
House Bottle
Cooking
StandPipe ClayPot
Well MetalPot
Washing
Pond Bucket
Truck Large Livestock
Scale
38

39. 1. Hierarchy of use
Why do people have these behaviors of segregation?
Health - Peoplechoosewaterfromthebestsourcesfordrinking.Theytake
specialcareofit,keepingitinthebestvessels,indoors,raisedfromtheground,
andcovered.
Conserving cost and effort - “Safer”waterrequiresmoretimeandcosttostore
anduse.Peopledon’twanttospendextraeffort,collectinghighqualitywater
(whichmightbefartheraway)andtakingspecialcareofthewater,forthatwhich
won’tbeusedfordrinking.
Vessel cost and availability - Thebesttypeofvesselsareoftenmorecostly,
andhardertogetthanthebasicvesselswhichcanbeusedforlow-quality
washingwater.
39

40. 1. Hierarchy of use
Insight
Wateristreateddifferentlydependingonitsintendeduse.Specificuses
correspondtodistinctbehaviorsaroundcollection,treatmentandstorage.
Design challenges
Designsolutionswhichenablepeopletosegregatewaterinasafeway.
-Acknowledgeandenablethenuancedbehaviorsofchoosingwatersources
andvessels.
-Considersolutionswhichmakewaterstoragenon-intrusiveinthehome.
40

41. 1. Hierarchy of use
Guideline for action
Designsolutionswhichenablepeopleto
segregatewaterinasafeway.
41

42. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Insight: Quality and convenience trade-off
Qualityandconveniencearethemostimportantfactorsinfluencingpeople’s
selectionofawatersource.Peopleareoftenforcedtotradeonefortheother,
sacrificingcleanwaterforconvenientaccess.
Whilequalityandconvenienceareparamount,costandstatusplayintothe
equationaswell.
42

43. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Thewatersourceswesawonourfieldvisitcanbemappedsubjectively,byqualityandconvenience.
oHyderabad
high oVijayawada
convenience oDelhi
openwellpumpedtohome
oJodhpur
pondpipedtohome oMumbai
oAurangabad
pond-fedwaterdeliverytruck
municipalwaterdeliverytruck
WaterHealthplant
openwellonproperty
JalBhagirathiplant
low high
quality quality
pond-fedvillagestandpipe municipaltap
municipaltap
tubewellnearvillage municipaltap,lowwaterpressure
tubewelloutsidevillage
constructionsitetap
pondoutsidevillage
low
convenience
Themostconvenientwatersourcesarepipedordeliveredtothehome,eliminatingthedrudgery
associatedwithwatertransport.
Thehighestqualitywatersourcesaretreatmentplants,orwaterwhichisclosetothetreatmentstage
(e.g.municipalwater.)
43

44. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
InthevillageofDenduluru,threedifferentsourcesareavailable,allwithin200mofeachother.
Weinterviewedthreehouseholdswhichprioritizequalityandconveniencedifferently.
Denduluru
high
convenience
pondpipedtohome
WaterHealthUVplant
low high
quality quality
pond-fedvillagestandpipe
low
convenience
G.Chantigets Susheelapays Theschoolmaster’s
herwateratthe forapipedwater wifebuysWHIwater
standpipe,because connection,even fordrinking,because
she’snotwillingto thoughthestandpipe it’shighquality.She
payeitherforquality iscloseby,because hasapipedwater
orconvenience:she’d shevaluesthe connectionfor
rathersaveforhome convenience. washing,becauseit’s
improvements. convenient. 44

45. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Why do people choose quality over convenience?
Immediate benefits - There’sanimmediateunderstandingofthebenefitsof
convenience.However,thebenefitsofqualityarehardtoquantify—duetolack
ofunderstandingaboutconnectionsbetweenwaterqualityandhealth,anddue
tothecomplexnatureofwatercontamination.
Importance of proximity - Thereisastrongaversiontocarryingwaterfarther
thannecessary;ifafamilyhasbeenusingaparticularsource,they’reunlikelyto
switchtoonethat’sfartheraway.Thereisalsoafeelingembeddedintheculture
thatwomenshouldnotventurefarfromthehome.
45

46. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Insight
Qualityandconveniencearethemostimportantfactorsinfluencingpeople’s
selectionofawatersource.Peopleareoftenforcedtotradeonefortheother,
sacrificingcleanwaterforconvenientaccess.
Design challenges
Improvetheconvenienceofqualitywatersources.
-Improvetheexperienceofcollectingwateratacommunitytap.
-Evaluatewaystoextendthephysicalreachofanexistingwatertreatmentplant.
-Accommodatepeoplewhoarecarryingwateroverlongdistances.
Improvethequalityofwateratconvenientsources.
46

47. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Example opportunity: Pre-filled pots service
Createaservicewhichallowspeopletotradetheiremptypotsforclean,pre-filledpots.
Ankurbringsfouremptypotstothefilling Hepicksuptwofullpots,andgets Laterintheday,hiswifebringsthetokens
station. tokensfortheothertwo. andtakestwomorepotshome.
47

48. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Example opportunity: Pre-filled pots service
Key features
-Speedsupprocessofcollectingwater
-Allowspeopletocollectwaterallday,evenifwaterisonlyavailablefora
limitedtime
-Allowsparticipantstocollectwaterinconvenientincrements,throughuse
oftokens
Business model questions
-Whatisthewillingnesstopayforaservicethatcleanspotsandreduces
waittime?
-Howdocustomersverifythatthepotstheypickedupwereclean?
-Aretheremarketingchallengesassociatedwithsharedpots?
-Whataretheoperatingcosts(laborandconsumables),andcanthesebe
offsetbyrevenues?
-Whatlevelsofinventoryofpotsandwater(filledpots)areneeded?
-Doesthereneedtobeasignificantbufferofinventoryofpotsofwater,
andwouldthisbewastefulofscarcewaterorspace?
48

49. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Example opportunity: Hauling
Supportlocalentrepreneurstodeveloplocally-made,wheeleddevicesthattransport
multiplevesselswithminimallabor.
49

50. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Example opportunity: Hauling
Key features
-Easestransportoflargerquantitiesofwater,toreducethe“drudgery”of
carryingpots
-Canaccommodateexistingwatervessels
-Canalsobeusedfortransportinggoodsotherthanwater
Business model questions
-Whatarepeoplewillingtopaytobuyahaulingdevice?
-Whatarepeoplewillingtopaytorentahaulingdevice?
-Willitrequiremaintenance,partreplacement?
-Thisdevicemayrequireabehaviorchange(forexample,itmaymake
itpossibleforwomentouselargercollectiondevices.)Isthisbehavior
changeapositivething?
-Ismanufacturinglocalorcentralized?(Centralizedtypicallymakesthe
productcheaperandstandardized,butrequirestransportation/distribution.
Localproductionallowsforcustomizationandmoredirectdistribution,but
makesitdifficulttogeteconomiesofscale.)
50

51. 2. Quality and convenience trade-off
Guideline for action
Improvetheconvenienceofqualitywater
sources.
51

52. 3. What is “clean”?
Insight: What is “clean”?
Therearefewreliableindicatorsofwatersafety*,soifitlooks“clean”,people
assumeitissafe.
*Wedefinesafe water aswaterthatmeetsWHOstandardsforsafety.
52

53. 3. What is “clean”?
Thedifficultyof
distinguishingclean
fromunclean,the
multivariatecausesof
healthproblems,and
thedelayedeffectsof Aslongasfishare Intheslumspeople Visiblyclearisthemost
swimminginhispondthis areproudtodrinkthis importantfactorinjudging
drinkingpoorwaterlead farmerisconfidentthatthe waterprovidedbythe ‘clean’.Peopleputgreat
toamultitudeofbeliefs waterisdrinkable. municipality,becauseit’s effortintoreducing
thesamewaterprovidedto turbidity.
andpractices—some thewealthierpeople.
ofwhichareeffective
inpreventinghealth
problemsandsome
whicharenot.
InMadPuriathereis InVishnuNagarthelarvae Peoplewhousebleachare
atraditionofa‘solar’ swimminginthewaterare dosinginaninconsistent
treatmentwherethe anobviousindicationof manner,withnofeedback
(covered)potsitsinthesun ‘unclean’. thatthetreatmentis
alldayasawaytotreatthe working.
water.
53

54. 3. What is “clean”?
Why do people have a lack of understanding of “clean” water?
Misleading cues - Therearenovisualcues,orreliableindicators,thatwateris
cleanandsafetodrink.Thecuesthatdoexistcanbemisleading:forexample,
tasteisadistinguishingfactorwhichisnottiedtowatersafety.
Mixed messages - Therearecountlessmessagesaboutwhatmakeswater
clean,stemmingfromsourcessuchasreligion,schools,healthclinics,
commercialmarketing,andlocaltradition.Everypersonmustchoosewhatto
believefromthiscacophonyofopinions.
54

55. 3. What is “clean”?
Insight
Therearefewreliableindicatorsofwatersafety,soifitlooks“clean”,people
assumeitissafe.
Design challenges
Helppeopleevaluatewaterqualityandunderstandthenatureofcontamination.
-Provideindicationsandirrefutableevidenceofwaterquality.
-Usemessagingwhichissimple,understandable,andconsistent.
Leverageexistingbehaviorsandbeliefsaboutkeepingwaterclean.
-Encouragecleaningbehavioratthesitewherewateriscollected.
-Improveeffectivenessofcleaning.
55

56. 3. What is “clean”?
Example opportunity: What can’t you see?
Educatethecommunityaboutcontaminantsinthewaterthatcan’tbeseenbythe
nakedeye.
Nirjaiswalkingbytheplant,carrying Theplantoperatorinviteshertocome Withmagnification,she’ssurprisedtosee
waterfromthevillagepond. insideandlearnaboutherwater. thatthereareactuallycontaminantsin
herwater!Shecancomparethiswiththe
plantwater.
56

57. 3. What is “clean”?
Example opportunity: What can’t you see?
Key features
-Buildsonexistingbehaviorstoreducevisibleparticulateandturbidity
-Becomesamarketingtoolforaspecifictreatmentorsource
-Givesconfidenceinperceptibledifferencesbetweenwaterqualities
Business model questions
-Howmuchtrainingisrequiredbymicroscopeoperators,skilledlabor?
-Howwilltheequipmentcostbecovered?(Thisconceptdoesnothave
arevenuestream,andcouldbeconsideredamarketingeffort,socosts
forthisshouldbeoffsetbyincreasedrevenuessomewhereelse.)
-Cantheequipmentcostbesharedamongbusinessbranches?
57

58. 3. What is “clean”?
Example opportunity: Cleaning stations
Offerdedicatedcleaningstationsatthetreatmentplant,whichallowpeopletoclean
inasafeway.
Beforefillingtheirpots,everybodycomes Toolsareavailable,andplantworkers Poojaiscomfortable,knowingthatthe
tothecleaningstation,wheretheycan provideadviceaboutcleaningpractices. potshe’susingisassafeasthewater
cleanwithchlorinatedwater. she’spayingfor.
58

59. 3. What is “clean”?
Example opportunity: Cleaning stations
Key features
-Raisesawarenessoftheimpactofcleaning
-Canbeofferedseparatelyfromwatertreatment,orasavalue-addservice
-Allowspeopletopayforaservice,ratherthanpayingforwater
Business model questions
-Whatiswillingnesstopay?Cantheservicebeoptional?
-Whatareequipmentcosts?
-Whatareconsumablescosts?
-Whatarelaborcosts?(Levelandtypeofservice)
-Whatbrandscanbeleveraged?(Nirmasoap,etc.)
-Arerevenuesfromthecleaningstationandtheplantindependentor
consolidated?
59

60. 3. What is “clean”?
Guideline for action
Helppeopleevaluatewaterqualityand
understandthenatureofcontamination.
60

61. 4. Spectrum of empowerment
Insight: Spectrum of empowerment
Manypeoplefeelasenseofresignationabouttheirwateroptions.
Particularlyamonglowercastes,peoplearenotempoweredtoinitiatechange.
61

62. 4. Spectrum of empowerment
Empowered
Resigned Dependent
IntheHarijan(lowestcaste) Becauseshehasaninvalidhusband, ThisoldercoupleinMadPuriaadds
neighborhoodoutsideofChinthapalli shereliesonhersontoforfinancial bleachtoeverypotofdrinkingwater.
Padu,thepondisovergrownwithalgae supportandalsotoprovidewaterfroma Iftheydon’t,theywillgetsick.His
andcontainshumanandanimalwaste. treatmentplantinKovali.Hersonisalso asthmaiseasilytriggered,sotheyare
Thepeopleworkallday,andhave theonewhokeepsherwatercontainers verysensitivetotakingcareoftheir
notime,money,orsupportforwater clean. health.
maintenance.
“Mysontoldmetogetridoftheclay “Ifweareoutinthefieldanddon’t
“Itisuptothegovernmenttosolvethis pots,soIdid.” haveaclothfilter,wewillpourthe
problem.Theyaredoingabadjob. drinkingwaterthroughasari.”
Thingswillneverchange.”
62

63. 4. Spectrum of empowerment
Empowerment factors
Caste - Lowercastesarenot
encouragedtoaspiretoupwardmobility.
Gender -Women’srolesarestrictly
prescribedinmanyhouseholds,and
they’renotempoweredtoenactchange
outsideofthehousehold.Menare
Complexity of empowerment
oftentheonesinchargeofhousehold
purchasingdecisions. Jathi’sfamilystayshealthy
andsheattributesthattoGod.
“HealthisluckfromGod.”
Choices - Notknowingthereisanother
However,sheisactuallyoneof
optionavailablelimitsimagination. themostactivepeoplewemet:
shepoursdrinkingwaterthrough
Education - Knowingtheconsequences aclothfiltertwiceandbleaches
thecanalwaterthatistruckedin
ofactionsandknowingwhat’spossible duringdroughts.
allowspeopletotakechangeintotheir
ownhands.
63

64. 4. Spectrum of empowerment
Community versus household empowerment
Communityempowermentmaytaketheformofdigginganewwell,cleaning
thelocalpond,orputtingpressureonleaderstoimplementnewinfrastructure.
Manyofthepeoplewemetaremoreempoweredatthehouseholdlevel
(choosingonesourceoveranother,pouringwaterthroughaclothfilter),
perhapsinfluencedbythefactorsabove.Inmanycases,womenhavemuch
morecontroloverwhathappensintheirhouseholdthanwhathappensatthe
communitylevel.Theobservedinstancesofcommunityempowermentwere
oftenmotivatedbyoutsidesources:forexample,theJalBhagirathiFoundation
offersgrantstocommunitiesinJodhpurtomotivateinvestmentandattention
tocareforwaterquality.
Using this spectrum
Oneuseofthisspectrumistounderstandtheneedtodesigndistinctofferings
topeopleatdifferentlevelsofempowerment.Anotherusetothinkabouthow
wemightdesignanofferingthatinvitesanindividualorcommunitytotakea
steptowardsmoreempowerment.
64

65. 4. Spectrum of empowerment
Why are people resigned about water?
Lack of understanding - Whenpeopledon’tunderstandtheproblemsofwater
safety,theyarelessmotivatedtoworkforchange.
Too many problems - ThepooranddisempoweredpeopleinIndiansociety
tendtohaveadisproportionatenumberofchallengestodealwithintheirdaily
lives(includingpoverty,landrights,scarcityofresources,etc.)Withsomany
challenges,theproblemsrelatedtowatermaynotbethefirstpriority.
Government responsibility - Manypeoplefeelthatit’sthegovernment’s
responsibilitytofixtheproblemsofwateraccessandquality,nottheirown.
Fatalism - Somepeoplehaveafatalisticattitudeabouttheirhealthandfutures,
whichpreventsthemfromtakinginitiative.AsJathisaid,“Healthisluckfrom
God.”
65

66. 4. Spectrum of empowerment
Insight
Manypeoplefeelasenseofresignationabouttheirwateroptions.Particularly
amonglowercastes,peoplearenotempoweredtoinitiatechange.
Design challenges
Designwatertoolsandservicesthatempowerpeople.
-Empowerpeoplethroughaccurateinformation.
-Leverageexistingmechanismsforinformationsharing(e.g.schools,religion,
health.)
-Designsolutionsthatareavailabletodisempoweredpeople,becauseempowered
peoplewillfindtheirwaytothesolutions.
66

67. 4. Spectrum of empowerment
Example opportunity: Safe water campaign
Involvelocalcommunitymembersinacampaigntospreadthemessageabout
waterquality,sponsoredbylocalbusiness.
Homesparticipatinginsafewater Kidsreceivebrandedsafewaterschool Communitymembersareencouraged
practiceshangasignontheirhouse,to supplies,torewardlearningandto tosharetheirlearningswithothers,ina
impartstatusandtoempowerthefamily encouragetheirpeers. communityforum.
toshareknowledgewithneighbors.
67

68. 4. Spectrum of empowerment
Example opportunity: Safe water campaign
Key features
-Empowerslocalpeopletoimpacttheircommunities
-Creditspeopleforpositivebehaviors
-Buildsloyaltyandbrandawarenessofaparticulartreatmentorsource
Business model questions
-Whopaysforthiscommunityempowerment?(Business,local
government,schools,donors,etc.)Cancostsbesharedamonggroups?
-Whatexistingchannelscouldbeleveragedforimplementation?
(Schools,clinics,localNGOs,SHGs)
-Whatbrandscanbeleveraged?(Nirmasoap,etc.)
-Whatarethecostsinvolved?(Design,materials,distribution)
68

69. 4. Spectrum of empowerment
Guideline for action
Createwatertoolsandservicesthat
empowerpeople.
69

70. 5. Added value for water
Insight: Added value for water
Payingforwaterisapoliticallychargedproposition,andpeopleexpectthatwater
shouldbefree.However,manyhouseholdspayforaddedvaluesuchcoolness,
clarity,convenienceandhealthsafety.
70

71. 5. Added value for water
Waterisjudgedonseveralqualities,somesubjectiveandsomeobjective.
Specificsourcesortreatmentsofwateraremoresoughtafterdependingon
whattypesofqualitiestheyoffer.
Water Qualities
In the following areas,
convenient
American corporations
clear have been exploring the
cool boundaries of water with
goodtaste additives like vitamins and
electrolytes.
healthy
highstatus nutrientfilled
quenching
goodsmell hydrating
fresh
holy
familiar
71

72. 5. Added value for water
Convenient High status
Themostconvenientwater Watercanbecome
isavailableclosesttothe associatedwithstatuswhen
pointofuse.Peoplewill itispaidfor,branded,and
sacrificemanyqualitiesof usedbywealthypeople.
water,togetwaterinless
time,withlessdrudgery.
Cool Good taste
Coolnessisincredibly Tastevariesbysource
valuedforwater,becauseit (waternaturallytastes
makeswaterrefreshingto “sweet”or“salty”,basedon
drink. itsmineralcontent).People
improvetastebystoringitin
aclayorcopperpot.
Clear Fresh
Clarityisoneoftheonly Waterisconsideredfreshat
visiblesignsofclean itsnaturalsource,andwhen
water,andusedasaproxy ithasbeencollectedfrom
forotherindicatorsof itsnaturalsourcerecently.
healthiness.
Healthy Holy
Healthywaterisvaluedby Waterisusedinmany
peoplewhounderstand traditionalceremonies,
itsbenefits,eitherthrough andisintegraltotheHindu
personalexperienceor religion.
throughhealtheducation.
72

73. 5. Added value for water
Why don’t people want to pay for water?
Right to free water - Freewaterhaslongbeenpromisedtopoorpeopleduring
politicalcampaigns,sopeoplefeelthattheyshouldn’thavetopayforwateritself.
Other sources of free water - Inareaswheretherearemanyexistingsourcesof
freewater(ponds,wells,governmentstandpipes,etc.),thereislittleincentiveto
switchtoasystemofpayingforwater.
73

74. 5. Added value for water
Insight
Payingforwaterisapoliticallychargedproposition,butmanyhouseholdspayfor
addedvaluesuchcoolness,clarity,convenienceandhealthsafety.
Design challenges
Leverageexistingwaterpreferencestomakesafewatermoresoughtafter.
-Considerbrandingtoincreasetheperceivedvalueofwater.
-Associatebrandswithqualitiesbesidessafety(e.g.coolness,flavor,status.)
-Stimulatevalue-addedservices.
-Designtoolsandsystemsfordeliveryentrepreneurs.
74

75. 5. Added value for water
Example opportunity: Brand extensions
Buildthebrandofawatertreatmentplant,bysellingbrandedwaterwhichhasbeen
enhancedthroughavarietyofmethods(chilled,flavored,carbonated).
Aswellaschilledwater,thereareflavored Heheadsovertotheplantandbuys
Inshopsandkiosksaroundthevillage,
andcarbonatedversions. enoughforhiswholefamily.
brandedwaterfromtheplantissoldasa
premiumwater—PaniPlus.
75

76. 5. Added value for water
Example opportunity: Brand extensions
Key features
-Extendsthebrandofthetreatmentfacility
-Elevatesthestatusoftreatedwater
-Attractscustomerswhoarenotprimarilyhealthfocused
Business model questions
-Whatisthedemandforpackagedchilledwater,invillageareasaround
waterplants?
-Isthereoverlapbetweencustomersofpackagedwaterandofbulk
water?Wouldconsumersofbulkwaterbeinspiredbytrendsinpackaged
water?
-Whowouldmanageproductionofthebottledwater?
-Ifpackagedwaterisnotbottledlocally,howdoesthecompanymanage
differentwatersourcesunderthesamebrand,withoutriskingcustomer
backlash?
76

77. 5. Added value for water
Example opportunity: Water delivery
Createasystemtosupportthedeliveryentrepreneur,throughconnectiontoalarger
infrastructure.
Sunil,thevillagedeliveryman,fillswater Hecyclesthroughthevillage,delivering Thesystemcanbeexpanded,withlarger-
jugsathisfillingpoint. toallhiscustomersandmeetingothers scaledeliverysupplyingwatertomany
alongtheway. entrepreneurslikeSunil.
77

78. 5. Added value for water
Example opportunity: Water delivery
Key features
-Increasesvalueofwaterthroughabrandeddeliveryexperience
-Createsjobandcareerpathsthroughconnectiontoalargerinfrastructure
-Businesseasesstartupeffortandcostsforindividualentrepreneurs
Business model questions
-Whatdeliveryrevenueispossible?Canthiscovervehicleamortization,
laborcosts,andpotentialfuelcosts?
-Whatarethequalitycontrolissuesassociatedwithdelivery?
-Whatareotherpotentialsourcesofincomeforthedeliveryvehicle?
(Advertising,goingfullbothways)
-Howcanthereachofdeliverybeexpanded?(Forexample,withmultiple
distributionpointsandsomelocalcollection,oradeliverysupplychainwith
differenttypesofvehicles)
78

79. 5. Added value for water
Example opportunity: Large scale storage
Createaservice,toprovideandmaintainlarge-scalehouseholdwatertanks.
Kamal’sfamilyordersanewwaterstorage Aspartoftheserviceplan,theTank-U Andonceamonth,aTank-Uservice
tankfortheirhome.They’repleasedwith truckcomeseveryweektorefillthetank personcleansgivesthetankathorough
the“Tank-U”installationservice. withsafewater. cleaning.
79

80. 5. Added value for water
Example opportunity: Large scale storage
Key features
-Ensurescleanandsafestorage
-Providesamenuofdeliveryoptions,tobuildcustomerloyalty
-Createsasysteminwhichasinglesourcecantakeresponsibilityfor
watersafety.
Business model questions
-Canthebusinessmodelofferflexibilityinwhichoftheservices
customerschoosetoparticipatein?(Tankinstallation,tankcleaning,water
delivery)
-Couldtankcleaningbeanadd-onserviceforprovidersofwaterdelivery,
housebuilders,othercleaningservices,pesticideproviders?
-Whatarethecostsinvolvedinaservicetobuildingorinstallstorage
tanks?(Labor,materials)
-Thiscouldbeaveryfragmentedmarket.Whatarethebenefitsof
centralizedsupportforhouseholdstoragecleaning?(Buyingconsumables
inbulk,buyingcleaningequipmentinbulk,sharedmarketing,quality
control)
-Cantheunitcostofstoragetanksbefinanced?Wherewouldthis
financingcomefrom?
-Whatarethecostsofacleaninganddeliveryservice?
-Whattrainingandsupportwillserviceprovidersneed?
80

81. 5. Added value for water
Guideline for action
Leverageexistingwaterpreferencesto
makesafewatermoresoughtafter.
81

82. Analysis of opportunities

83. Prioritizing opportunities
Ofalltheconceptsandopportunitieswehavethoughtabout,wehavechosenonlyasubsetto
includeinthisreport.
We’veprioritizedtheopportunitieswhichare:
-Areasinwhichanewproductorservicecanmakeanimpact
-Newideas,ornewapproachestoexistingofferings
-Economicallysustainablesolutions
-Solutionswhichareappropriatetoourtargetmarket(low-income,rural,waterfromtreated
communitysupply)
83

84. Revisiting the opportunity map
Webrainstormedhundredsofopportunityareas,anddistilledthemostpromisinginto8scenarios,
illustratedinthepreviouspages.Whenwemapthesescenariosagainsttheoverallopportunity
map,weseethatsomeoftheinsightareasareespeciallyrichforinnovation.
Insight
Hierarchyofuse
DesignChallenge
OpportunityArea
Addedvalueforwater Qualityandconvenience
trade-off
Spectrumofempowerment Whatis“clean”?
84

85. Existing innovations
Inourresearch,wesawseveralinnovationswhichanswerthedesignchallengesbrilliantly.
Inthesecases,thebigopportunityisforbuildingbusinesseswhichcouldspreadthesolutions.
Delivery service financing Pot-in-pot cooler
(WaterHealth International) (M. Abba, Nigeria)
WaterHealthfinancesa Achamberiscooledthrough
deliveryentrepreneurby claypotevaporativecooling.
providingacycle-rickshaw, Bythesameprinciple,plastic
whichtheentrepreneurcan watervesselscouldbe
payoffovertime. placedinapottocool.
Mesh top
Vehicle rental
Ascreenpreventspeople
(Molar Bund, Delhi)
fromdippinghandsintothe
AserviceinDelhirents watersupply.Thescreen
rickshaws,forRs.10per canberemoved,forcleaning.
hour.
Ladle in lid
Improved clay pot (Traditional)
(CDC Safe water system)
Aladlebuiltintothelid
Thetraditionalclaypot allowspeopletoservewater,
ismodifiedtoprevent withoutdippinghandsinthe
contamination:ithasa pot.
narrow-mouthopening,anda
stainlesssteeltapdispenser.
85

86. Narrowing the scope
Ourresearchhasexposedthegreatvarietyofpeoplewhowouldbenefitfrominnovations
insafewatertransportandstorage.Whilewehopethatourinnovationswillbe
appropriateforbroadgroupofusers,werecommendnarrowingthescopeinthefollowing
ways.
Factor Recommendation Comments
Sourcequality Watercomesfroman Acknowledgethat“improved”watersourcesarenot
“improved”source. always100%.Takewaterqualityoutcomesintoaccount.
Waterdistance Waterisavailable Therearedistinctsetsofneedsforpeoplecollecting
outsidethehome. within1km,andgreaterthan1km.
Age Adult Acknowledgethedifferentrolesthathouseholdmembers
playinrelationtocollectingandstoringwater.
Gender Bothwomenandmen Acknowledgethedifferentrolesthatmenandwomen
have,relatedtowater.
Caste Allcastes Beawareofthechallengesspecifictopeopleoflow
castes.
Incomelevel Earning$1-4perday Ourfocusisthepoor,whocanparticipatein
entrepreneurialsolutions.Somesubsidiesarepossible.
Ruralorurban Rural Whilewehopeourdesignswillbenefitbothruraland
urbanpopulations,ourdesignfocusisonruralbecause
that’swheremostofourtargetmarketlives.
Educationlevel Low Theleasteducatedaremostlikelytobeaffectedbyour
work.
Region India Wehopetoexpandthegeographicalscopeofourwork
inthefuture,butourcurrentknowledgeisbasedinIndia.
86

87. Opportunities which we did not pursue
Thereareseveralopportunitieswhichwehavechosennottopursue.
One-size-fits-all vessel
Opportunity: A“one-size-fits-all”vessel,suitedforbothtransportandstorage,wouldreducethe
needtotransferwater.
Reason: Peoplehaveverystrongopinionsaboutvesselmaterialandshape,tiedtouseand
togenerallocalpreferences.Ratherthancreatingaone-size-fits-allvessel,we’ve
focusedonvesselcleaning.
Built-in water storage
Opportunity: Wehaveseveralinterestingconceptsofwaterstoragevesselsashousehold
constructionelements.
Reason: Built-inwaterstorageismostappropriateforurbanslums,wherespaceistheprimary
constraint,peoplearerelativelylesspricesensitive,andinnovativepracticesata
householdlevelaremoreprevalent.Urbanareasarenotthemainfocusofourwork.
Household treatment
Opportunity: Thedesignchallenge,“Howmightweimprovethequalityofwateratconvenient
sources?”yieldsmanyrichopportunitiesforhouseholdtreatment.
Reason: Whilethesesolutionsarecompelling,they’rebeyondthescopethatwehave
definedforthisproject.
87

88. Business analysis
Whileeachdesignopportunityimpliesuniquebusinessissues,therearegeneralissuesthatshouldbeconsidered
fordeployinganyoftheopportunitiesidentified.
Start-up costs –Significantcapitalcoststostartabusinesscouldbeabarriertoentryforlocal
entrepreneurswholackaccesstocapitalorfinancing.
Working capital –Ifthecostoftheproductwillresultinaneedforsignificantworkingcapitalforthe
entrepreneurthiscouldagainposeachallengeforstartingupanewenterprise.
Operating costs –Costsassociatedwithlabor,consumablesandmaintenanceneedtobeoffsetby
revenuesandshouldbekeptlow.
Supply chain –Theavailabilityofinputsthroughexistingsupplychainsshouldbeconsidered,aswell
asthepotentialneedforcomplimentarysupplychainstobedeveloped.Forexample,ifaninputsuch
aschlorineisneeded,thereshouldbechlorinereadilyavailableinthemarket.Ifnot,asupplychainfor
chlorinewouldbeneededoranalternativesuchaslocalproduction.
88

89. Business analysis
Marketing Costs – Anewideaorinnovativetechnologymayhaveahigherperceivedvalue,butalso
requiremoremarketing,whichcanbecostly,whileamoretraditionalapproachmaybelesscompelling,
butrequirelittlepromotion.Thetrade-offsbetweencostandmarketingneedtobewellunderstood,
perhapsthroughmarkettesting.
Marketing – Messagingwillneedtocommunicatelifestylebenefitsaswellashealthbenefits,tapping
intopeople’saspirationsandlifegoalsbeyondpersonalhealth.
Positioning – Conceptswillneedtodemonstrateaclear‘reasontobelieve’,demonstratingvisualor
otherfeedbackinordertoensurerepeatuseafterinitialtrial.New-to-marketproductsandservices
willincreasepenetrationthroughwordofmouth,whichmakesitessentialthatentrepreneurssupplya
simpleandcompellingproductbenefitstorythatcanbepassedfrompersontoperson.
Demand – Consumerdesireforgoodsandservicesmustexist,andpeoplemustbewillingtopayfor
them.Forexample,people’sassumptionthatcleanwatershouldbeprovidedbythegovernmentand
accesstoitshouldbefreecouldbeabarriertopenetrationthatshouldbeevaluatedwithtestmarkets
amongtargetconsumers.
Market size – Theexistingmarketsizeneedstobeunderstoodbasedonpeople’spresentabilityto
pay,butthismarketcouldbeexpandedthroughdemandcreation.
Pricing and willingness to pay – Potentialconsumersshouldhavethewillingnessandabilitytopayfor
aproductorserviceconcept.Willingnesstopaycouldbetestedatdifferentpricinglevels,andcreative
pricingmodels,suchaspaymentincreditorcross-subsidiescouldbedeployedtoaddressinabilityto
paybylow-incomeconsumers.
89

90. Design principles
BasedonourresearchinIndiaandourpreviousexperiencewithdesigninthisspace,wehavecollected
thefollowingsetofdesignprinciples.Theseprinciplesareintendedtoinspireandguidedesign,with
theunderstandingthataninnovationisunlikelytomeetalloftheseideals.
Design for the Base of the Pyramid should be…
Affordable-abletobepurchasedbypeopleearninglessthan$4/day
Humanity-centered-designedwithanunderstandingoftheneedsandaspirationsofthe
individualaswellasthecommunity
Scalable-abletospreadwidelytoreachmorepeople
Modular-abletobepurchasedinincrements
Systems-based-coveringthetruecostsofthesystem,includingsupplychain,education,
andrepairservices
Useful-abletoprovidedemonstrablevaluetotheenduser
Locally serviceable-replacementpartsandserviceavailableforlocalrepair
Economically sustainable-usingcontext-specificbusinessmodelswhichharnessmarket
forces
Environmentally sustainable-accountingfortheenvironmentalimpactsofmaterials,
processes,andbehaviors
90

91. Design principles
Innovations for India should be...
Equitable-designedwithasensitivitytothecastesystem
Compatible with religious beliefs -integratingculturalbeliefs,suchasbeliefthathealthis
thedomainofahigherpower
Empowering -designedtomotivatepeoplewhomightotherwisebelimitedbywhatis
providedforthem
Household products for the Base of the Pyramid should be…
Made with culturally appropriate materials-integratingtraditionandpreferencesfor
materialsthatfitinthehome
Accessible-availablethroughlocalavailabledistributionchannels
Low operating cost-abletofunctionwithoutsignificantinputssuchasenergyand
replaceableparts
91

92. Design principles
Household water storage and transport products in the Base of the Pyramid should be…
Designed for aesthetics of water-abletomaintainorenhancetheaestheticsofwater,
suchastaste,smell,appearance
Safe-resistanttobacteriologicalcontamination
Clean-designedwithaccessforcleaning,andmaterialswhichenablecleaning
Fresh-designedtoencourageshort-termstorageofwater
Ergonomic-designedwithappropriatelysizeandshapeforwomentocarry
Able to be transported-designedwithfeaturesfortransportbyfoot,bycart,bybicycle,by
motorbike
92

93. Design principles
Behavior change cycle
believe
reinforce frame
act know
prompt
IDEO’sbehaviorchangecycleisanevaluativetool,forinnovationswhichincludebehaviorchangeasa
component.Behaviorchangemaybesuccessfulifincludesthefollowingsixelements.
Believe-Peopleneedtobelievethattheinnovationwillmatter.
Frame-Theyneedtobuildamentalmodelofhowtheinnovationwillwork.
Know-Theyneedtoknowtherulesofhowtousetheinnovation.
Prompt-Knowingwhattodoisoftennotenough.Peopleneedcuesandreminderstopromptaction.
Act-Actionrequiresresources:physical,cognitive,emotional,social,andfinancial.
Reinforce-Feedbackreinforcesbelieftostrengthenanddrivebehaviorchange.
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94. Next steps

95. Where are we now?
Fieldresearch-InPhase1,wehaveimmersedourselvesintheneedsandchallengesofsafewater
transportandstorageinIndia,learningfromexpertsinthesectorandthepeoplewhoknowthese
challengesbest,facingthemdailyinIndia.
Synthesis-Wesynthesizedourlearnings,pickingoutthehighestlevelinsights,anddevelopedaset
ofdesignchallengestoguideourdesignmovingforward.
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96. Next steps
Phase1 Phase2 Phase3
Phase1 Phase2
Createconcepts Developfinalproducts
Maptheopportunity
andselectdirections andsolutions
space
·refinedconcepts ·implementable
·fieldresearch
·prototypes solutions,products
·synthesis
·fieldfeedback and/orservices
·initialconcepts
Thenextstepsfortheprojectaretoselectanopportunityspaceforfurtherexploration,andtodevelop
asystemofsolutionsforadditionalfieldfeedback.
InPhase2,thepartnershipsweformwillbecriticallyimportanttothesuccessoftheproject,justas
theyhavebeeninPhase1.
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97. Appendix: Themes of exploration

98. Collection
Collection key points
Peoplechoosetheirwatersourcedbasedonseveralfactors,themostimportant
ofwhicharequalityandconvenience.
Peopleoftenuseseveraldifferentsources,dependingontheenduseofthe
water(e.g.drinking,cooking,washing.)
Womenareprimarilyresponsibleforwatercollection,butmenareinvolvedwhen
thedistancerequirestransportationorifmoneyisinvolved.
Formanyhouseholds,collectionisnotasarduousaswehadexpected.If
communitysourcesarenotashortwalkaway,peopleoftenpayfordelivery.
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99. Collection
Summary of Andhra Pradesh
Waterwasmuchrelativelyaccessible,withmostpeoplehavingaccesstopipedwaterintheirhomes,and
drinkingwaterwithinafewstepsfromtheirhome.Womenareprimarilyresponsibleforwaterinthehome,but
insituationswherewaterisfurtherfromthehomemenareresponsiblefortransport.Thecollectionprocess
wasnotconvenientandofteninvolvedwaitinginlineorwaitingforthewatertoturnon,butitwasnotseenasa
particularhardship.Theonevillagewefoundthattraveled2kmtotheirdrinkingwellwasananomaly;wehadto
beveryintentionalinoursearchtofindtheseconditions.
Summary of Jodhpur region
Jodhpurhaswatershortageseveryyear.Localpondsdryupandpeoplehavetotravellongdistancesforwater.
Mostvillageshavedevelopedwork-aroundsfortheseconditionsthatincludedeliveryofwaterbytruckortractor,
tofilleitheracommunitytankorahouseholdstoragetank.Thedeliverybringslargevolumesofwater(4000
liters)whichmakescarryingonepotatatimeoverlongdistancesseeminsufficient;mostofthesecommunities
payfordeliverytrucksregularlyratherthanwalktoadistantsource.Insituationswherethepondisclose,women
areprimarilyresponsibleforretrievingwaterfromthepondorstoragetank.Inseveredrought,thegovernment
providestrucksofwaterforfree.
Summary of slums
Mostslumdwellerslivewithinafewstepsofamunicipalwatersource.Thewatercomesonatscheduled
intervals,twoorthreetimeseachday.Oftenwholefamiliesareinvolvedinthecollectionprocesswiththemother
ofthehouseholdmanagingtheeffort.Wateriscollectedinmultiplevesselsofanykindandbroughthometofill
largervesselsforstorage.
Summary of Aurangabad region
Mostfarmershaveopenwellsontheirproperties.Forthefamiliesthatliveonthefarm,womencollectwaterfrom
thewellinmetalpots,orinrarecasespeoplepumpdirectlyfromthewelltothehouseholds.Forfamiliesthatlive
invillages,womencollectwaterfromavarietyofcommunitysources,alsocarryingthewaterinmetalpots.
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100. Collection
Slum community tap
Rajeev Ghandi Nagar, Hyderabad
RajeevGandhiNagarisasmallslumof50families
inthemiddleofthelargecityofHyderabad.The
familywespokewithcollectswatereveryotherday,
enoughforthe14peopleinhousehold.Theywalkto
themunicipalwatertap,approximately20feetfrom
thehome.Themotherfillsthepotsatthetap;the
wholefamilyhelpscarrypotsbacktohouse.Drinking
waterisstoredinmetalpotsandplasticbottles,and
washingwaterisstoredinlargedrum(100Lorlarger)
outsideofthedoorway.
Waterisavailablefromtapafewhourseveryday.On
dayswhenthetapisn’tworkingthecommunitycan
orderatrucktocomefillaSintextankforfree.Some
neighborshavewaterpipedtohouseforRs.100/
month($2.50)+Rs.1000($25)installationfee.
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101. Collection
Piped nonpotable water
Ahdhra Pradesh
AlmostallthevillagesinAndhraPradeshhave
pipedwaterdirectlytotheirhouseholds.Generally
speaking,thewaterissurfacewaterwhichhasbeen
treatedwithasandfilter,andpumpedtoanoverhead
tanktocreatewaterpressure.Thecommunities
recognizethatthiswaterisveryunsafe.Theyusethis
waterforwashing,butuseothersourcesfordrinking.
WaterHealth International (WHI) treatment plants
Andhra Pradesh
WHIcustomersbringtheiremptyjugs(purchased
fromWHI)andpay1Rupeefor12L.and1.5Rupee
for20L.Womendon’tridebikesormotorbikessoit
fallstothementocollectthedrinkingwater(either
fromthepondinthenextvillageortheWHIplant).
Thelargervesselsaretooheavyforwomentocarry,
soitmostlymenwhocometoWHIplant.The
majorityofhouseholdstakeone20Ljugeachday.
Thefamilywespokewithacrossthestreetfromthe
planttakestwo12Ljugssothatthechildrencan
carryit.Theyputthejugsintotheirfridge.Orwhen
thefridgeisbroken,transferthewaterintoclaypots
forcooling.
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