Read what others have to say about Naandi's Safe Drinking Water programme.

From the community

Being a pastor, I keep in constant touch with families and I know that diarrhea and stomach ailments were a common problem here. They used to get their drinking water from village wells. But after the safe drinking water plant came up here people aren’t falling ill that frequently. It’s been a boon to the people and one that even the poorest of the families can afford.

- G Yohanna, Church Pastor, Bomminampadu, Krishna District,
Andhra Pradesh  (December 2006)

Earlier I was taking children to school in my rickshaw. I was earning only Rs 2000 per month. Lately I was finding it very difficult to earn even that after a lot of children started going to school by autos and buses. Now I earn Rs 150 per day by distributing safe water cans to the villagers. Life is more comfortable now and I am also planning to buy a vehicle to transport the cans.

- Kora Lakshman Rao, water can distributor, Akividu village,
West Godavari district  (September 2006)

Re 1 is such an insignificant price. It is like almost no cost and spending it on something like safe drinking water absolutely fine as we know that we would not have to spend on health and medical bills anymore.

- Savithriamma, daily wage labourer, Vempa village,
West Godavari district. (September 2006)

The village pond was our only source of water. With the contamination levels going up, we stopped drinking water from the pond about eight years ago. The water was green in colour and a lot of people from our village were suffering from amoebasis and headaches. Therefore we used to buy well water for Rs 3 a pot. When we got to know that Naandi was setting up a water purification unit in our village and sell 15 litres of water only for Re 1 none of us believed. This is really marvelous. Now not only is the water pure and safe, we are also saving the money we sued to spend on the well water.

- Kakani Parvathi, housewife, Gudlavalleru village,
Krishna district. (September 2006)

Due to excess fluoride in the water villagers used to suffer from fever, joint pains, etc. But now the situation has improved. The number of patients visiting my clinic has gone down after people started drinking water from the plant. I'm advising every patient to drink Naandi's Safe Drinking Water.

- Gopal Reddy, Medical Practitioner, Pendyal village,
Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh (October 2008)

Now every one in my village is getting healthier. The Community-based Safe Drinking Water Centre is really helping us.

- Buta Singh, Pharmacist, Kotbhai village,
Giddarbaha tehsil, Punjab (February 2008)

From our Donors and Partners

WaterHealth India is driven by the shared vision of Dr K Anji Reddy and WaterHealth International to make ‘potable water a reality for all Indians by the year 2020.’ Our breakthrough technology platform enables sustainable delivery of water supplies to villages at prices that even the poorest of the poor can afford. WaterHealth and Naandi together are setting the stage for revolutionizing the reach of safe water across the country in what we believe is India’s next big revolution – ‘The Blue Revolution.

- Sudesh Menon, CEO, WaterHealth India (December 2006)

Being part of Lions club, I get to do a lot of work for the village development, but this is the only project which has given every member total satisfaction. Previously we would conduct a lot of health programme to treat people but now we are assured that people will never fall ill. Thanks to Naandi's Safe drinking water project.

- Rama Rosiah, Ex president, Lions Club, Akividu village,
West Godavari district(September 2006)

I contributed 50 percent of the cost for 9 villages so far. For about 4 to 5 villages I donated the entire amount. It will be good if Naandi starts a similar programme in fluoride affected areas as well. Presently local bodies themselves are making alternative arrangements for fluorine problem. If Naandi comes up with a solution for this, government will definitely support.

- Pinnamineni  Venkateswara Rao, Higher Education Minister,
Andhra Pradesh(September 2006)

Fish, dead dogs, waste, dead animals are all thrown into the canals. This raw water is directly consumed by us as the conventional water filters were damaged. We contributed a part of the installation cost for the Safe water plant. This was not a burden to anybody. We collected money from about hundred people and arranged money for the plant's installation. We wanted everyone in the village to be part of it even if they were contributing Rs 5. Without any caste discrimination we collected money from everyone.

- Ramachandra Raju, Donor, Vempa village, West Godavari District,
Andhra Pradesh. (September 2006)

I had no idea that I as an individual could actually make a difference in improving the drinking water situation for the rural people. I find it tough to believe that my contributions have helped to provide pure and safe water to Gagillapur residents.

- Sri MV Subbaraju, Managing Director, Shakti Met-Dor Ltd, Gagillapur village,
Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh (December 2007)

In my village is able to buy 20 litres of treated water at Rs 2. It’s very affordable.

- A Malla Reddy, Chairman, Kacharam Milk Cooperative Society, Kacharam village
Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh (October 2007)

Case Studies

Now I earn Rs 400 per day

Chakravarthi from Akividu village (West Godavari district) once made a living with the small income her earned as a rickshaw puller. His earnings were decreasing by the day as more and more schoolchildren went to school by auto and bus.

 With income that is very low, he often spent a lot on medication. Due to contaminated water, his family members frequently fell ill. He would spend thousands on treatment for his wife and children.

 There were a lot of waterborne diseases. We would spend about Rs 2000 on medicines alone every month.

- Kanakamahalakshmi, Chakravarthi’s wife

 After Naandi's Safe Drinking Water plant was installed in his village, the scenario changed completely. He now delivers about 800 water cans to the villagers everyday in his auto that he bought recently and charges Re 12 per can as delivery charge.

 By evening I complete 7 to 8 trips. I get Rs 100 per trip. Excluding all my expenses, I save Rs 50 per trip. On the whole I save about Rs 400 per day.

- Chakravarthi.(September 2006)

My customers health is most important to me

 Vasu, the owner of Iyer hotel, Akividu village (West Godavari district) buys 50 cans of Naandi's Safe water everyday. This means he spends Rs 50 per day on water. He uses this water for drinking as well as cooking.

 My customer's health is important to me. Municipal water was never good. I used to buy Surya mineral water earlier and charge my customers Re 1 per glass. Now Naandi water is only Re 1 a can. I don't want customers to fall ill. Any customer who comes to the hotel first looks at the quality of the water and that is why I am serving Naandi water.

- Vasu. (September 2006)

After using this water, chickens don't fall ill anymore

 Satyanarayana the owner of a poultry farm in Bomminampadu, where first plant of Naandi's Safe Drinking water programme was installed has been buying 100 to 200 litres daily since a year.

Just like how safe water is important for humans, it is for chickens also. When I took my chickens to the doctor, he said it was due to bad water. After using safe water, chickens don't fall ill anymore and business has become prosperous.

- Satyanarayana. (September 2006)