Access to safe drinking water has been a challenge in India. In rural areas where power supply is also a huge concern, solar-powered water ATMs are a viable solution.

The data by the Ministry of Jal Shakti shows that in February 2021, 68.75 million households had tap water supply, which has grown to about 155 million as of February 2025. But, providing access to a reliable and long-term supply of drinking water at affordable costs is an ongoing mission.

According to a report by water.org, 35 million out of India’s 1.4 billion people lack access to safe drinking water in hot and arid regions like Rajasthan and Gujarat.

In parts of India, people are forced to spend hours walking to water sources without any guarantee that the water is safe to drink.

“Something as fundamental and necessary as water should be available to all, and our community water automated teller machines (ATMs) are a step towards that,” said Arushi Kumar, VP of Marketing at Boon.

Boon, a Gurugram-based water tech startup, has been installing solar-powered and AI-enabled water ATMs that dispense clean drinking water at a minimal price.

The company has installed over 1,000 solar-powered water ATMs in over 100 villages spread across the country, including Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

The startup aims to provide clean drinking water at a nominal price in remote places in the country. The solar systems used to power the water purifiers vary anywhere from 3 kW to 10 kW, depending on the size of the filtration system.

“There are many places in the country where there is not enough electricity for us to power the water ATMs. The idea of using solar energy was born out of this scarcity,” said Kumar.

The company wanted to develop a microgrid to save the infrastructure requirements of the regular grid. Instead of opting for a large purification system, they developed a community-level system.

“We collaborate with local governments, institutions, self-help groups and NGOs to set up these community water ATMs. The cost of setting up the water purifiers can be anywhere between ₹500,000 (~$5,737) and ₹1.5 million (~$17,212),” said Kumar.

Chamak Singh from Punjab Water Works who had worked closely with the company, said, “Purified drinking water was a luxury for many in rural parts of Punjab. The purifiers are installed in various places such as school compounds, and railway stations in about 15 villages in Punjab. It was a collaborative effort where the resources and technology came from Boon.”

On average, the water ATMs get 20 to 50 users daily, Singh explained.

“We are in 14 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and villages like Barmer and Faridpur. We are planning to expand to more villages and cities.”

Many other companies and organizations such as Piramal Sarvajal, Arosia Water, and Chennai-based Visvak engineers have also been using solar energy to power water ATMs.

Recognizing the importance of such water ATMs, Moradabad Smart City floated a request for proposal for setting up 25 solar-based water ATMs to provide safe drinking water in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh.

Water ATMs fix multiple problems – they are clean, reliable, and placed in remote to highly populated areas. They reduce the use of plastics, improve health, and save time for millions of women who have to travel long distances to collect water. Solar powers these machines, especially in areas where access to reliable electricity is a question, and makes it affordable, which makes all the difference.