E-toilets: India's new strategy for clean and green

Kerala's own electronic toilets (e-toilets), one of the prominent innovations of the state in public health, hygiene and sanitation sector e-toilet and India's first electronic public toilet, would now be seen featured in Jammu and Kashmir also.

As per a government press release, developed by Eram Scientific Solutions, the Thiruvananthapuram based scientific R&D firm, the e-toilets for Jammu & Kashmir region has been customized as per the region's own geographical and sub-zero climatic conditions (-55^o) in response to J&K's tourism department's request for setting up e-toilets in the state.

The e-toilets would be set up at Affarwat and Gulmarg. Affarwat is one of the world's highest locations which uses cable car using gondolas at a height of over 4,000 ft above sea level and the only one location in the world that takes skiers to a height of 4,390 metres.

In order to function at this sort of extreme cold temperatures, military grade equipments have been used in the customized e-toilet model. Eram Scientific has successfully implemented over 400 e-toilets in various parts of the country.

The e-toilets are designed on the lines of the Australian National Public Toilet Map. The user, could view the toilet map via the internet or the cellphone, select the nearest toilet station, set a parking space, make payment, view the timings and get other details on allied facilities.

The company has entered into an association with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore for further research and development of e-toilets.

e-toilet is positioned as the ultimate solution to ensure public toilets across the country are maintained hygienically, with the minimum of manual intervention, and substantial energy and water savings as well. The e-toilet works on total auto mode: The insertion of a coin opens the door for the user, switches on the light - thus saving energy - and even directs the user with audio commands. The toilets are programmed to flush 1.5 liters of water if the user takes up to 3 minutes, and 4.5 liters of water if the usage is longer. They can also be programmed to clean the platform after every 5 or 10 persons use the toilet.

The e-toilet is the result of a convergence of electronics, web and mobile technologies, featuring automated door opening, power flushing, automatic closet washing and sterilization, and automatic platform cleaning mechanism, all backed by SMS alerts to inform the control room about the status of water tank and bio gas plant in the event of any errors or failures through which the downtime can be minimized. The wastes are treated scientifically.

 

Extensive use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for the management of the unit incorporating GPRS facilities is being seen. The product is also in line with the National Urban sanitation policy.

The average life of a unit is estimated to be around 7-10 years and thus it offers durability. Also the deployment of such units will provide employment opportunities for many. Environment is protected through e-toilet's Green Technology focus and is all set to emerge with a matchless ‘green model' through a linkage with Indian Institute of Science.

400+ units of e-toilet are installed in various locations. The commercial production of the same started during the first quarter of 2010 to provide world-class sanitation facility for tourists. Eram has installed e-toilets in various parts of Kerala and Greater Noida.

Another 300 is under implementation and will be operational within next two months. Each system is used by an average of 130 peoples per day. The company has now entered into technology transfer agreement with South Africa and marketing arrangement with Nigeria and Botswana.

Pathanamthitta District in Kerala is India's first district with a connected e-toilet infrastructure (CeTI) where the locations of toilets and their operational status can be viewed over a web based map. This is more useful to a tourist who travel with their families. Connected e-toilets would communicate over a GPRS system and they are accessible over a mobile or internet for locating them.

The e-toilets can provide information about its working status, whether for male or female, whether changing stations for babies are available and other facilities and the distance from the location specified can be provided.

The company has recently won a whopping grant of over $450,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to set up eco friendly and hygienic e-Toilets making public conveniences more accessible to the urban poor.

The prototyped e-toilet was developed under Technopreneur promotion programme (Tepp) of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research of Government of India by Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram promoted by Government of Kerala.

The innovation got grant in aid from Government of India for the prototype development and after completing the working models, this technology has been transferred to Eram Scientific Solutions for commercializing the technology.