Greater Noida West: At a time when groundwater depletion has become a major concern, residents of Ajnara Olive County in Sector-5, Greater Noida West, have adopted an innovative solution to reduce water wastage.
Instead of allowing reverse osmosis (RO) reject water to flow into drains, the society has developed a system to channel the water into groundwater recharge pits. According to the Apartment Owners Association (AOA), the initiative is recharging nearly 64,000 litres of groundwater every day, making the society a model for sustainable water conservation.
Over 2.3 Crore Litres of Water to Be Conserved Every Year
The society has 16 towers and 868 flats. Earlier, around 4,000 litres of RO waste water per tower was discharged into drains every day, resulting in nearly 64,000 litres of water being wasted daily.
With the new system in place, the society estimates that approximately 2.30 crore litres of water will be recharged into the ground every year, helping reduce pressure on groundwater resources.
Dedicated Pipeline and Storage System Installed
According to the AOA, all kitchens in the society are located on one side of the towers, making it easier to connect RO outlets through a common pipeline.
Each tower has been equipped with a 1,000-litre storage tank for collecting RO reject water. The society has also interconnected two 8,000-litre underground tanks, allowing waste water to be transferred from one tank to another before being directed to recharge pits.
Additionally, every two towers have four taps installed to utilise the collected water for horticulture, vehicle washing and mopping.
Three-Month Trial Helped Identify Improvements
Before implementing the project, the society conducted a three-month trial. During the testing phase, officials observed that one tank was filling within five to six hours, while another required two fillings in a day.
The trial also revealed that a few RO machines had faulty solenoid valves, leading to unnecessary water loss. The faulty valves were repaired immediately to improve efficiency.
Penalty for Wasting Water
To discourage unnecessary water wastage, the AOA has also decided to impose a ₹5,000 penalty on residents found wasting excessive water.
Residents have also been urged to ensure regular servicing of RO systems so that malfunctioning solenoid valves do not lead to avoidable water loss.
A Model for Other Housing Societies
The initiative demonstrates how residential societies can contribute to water conservation through simple infrastructure changes. If adopted on a larger scale, similar projects could significantly reduce water wastage and improve groundwater recharge across the National Capital Region.