Rural Piped Water Supply Initiative
Empowering Water-Stressed Villages Through Intelligent Infrastructure
Photo by illustrate Digital Ug
Rural India faces one of the most critical water challenges of our time: how to deliver reliable, equitable, and sustainable piped water supply to vast, dispersed communities—often with limited infrastructure and scarce resources.
In partnership with the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Shanta Colibri has pioneered a smart water management initiative tailored to rural needs. By deploying smart metering, pressure and level monitoring, and automated supply sequencing, this project enables real-time visibility and optimized control over rural water distribution—even in water-stressed zones.
Challenges
Limited monitoring of water flow, quality, and tank levels.
Manual operations and fixed supply routines, causing oversupply in some villages and scarcity in others.
Challenges in ensuring fair water distribution among distant remote communities.
Lack of accountability or visibility into distribution performance.
Water infrastructure in rural regions often suffers from:
To overcome these issues, the system required a move away from inflexible routines towards water management that is informed by real-time data and adaptable to changing conditions.
Inability to prioritize supply to regions with acute water stress.
Core Components:
Smart Flow Measurement: Installation of flow meters at key pumping and delivery points to track water movement with high precision.
Level Monitoring Systems: Sensors at Elevated Service Reservoirs (ESRs) and headworks to monitor water levels in real time and prevent overflows or dry runs.
Pressure Monitoring: Zone-wise pressure transmitters to ensure consistent supply and early leak detection.
Automated Sequencing: Pump and valve automation sequences water delivery to ESRs based on predefined priority logic, real-time tank levels, and consumption trends.
Central Monitoring Interface: A unified dashboard helps PHED and rural engineers visualize performance, track alerts, and coordinate interventions.
We have deployed a modular and scalable Rural Piped Water Supply Monitoring System throughout PHED-managed facilities, seamlessly integrating advanced automation, field instrumentation, and centralized monitoring for enhanced operational efficiency.
Solution
Photo by ritesh arya
Impacts and Benefits
Automated systems guarantee ensures fair allocation even in regions with seasonal water shortages.
PHED teams now have real-time visibility into water levels, pressure fluctuations, and overall system status.
The system architecture allows for straightforward replication in rural districts with minimal configuration.
Live data and alerts reduce cut troubleshooting time from hours to just minutes.
Level-based control prevents overflows and dry runs, saving both water and energy.
As rural infrastructure evolves, Shanta Colibri’s platform is ready for the next phase of digital water governance:
Interested in Digitizing Rural Water?
Our solutions are already helping PHEDs build stronger, smarter rural water ecosystems. Let’s work together to ensure every village has access to reliable, data-driven water supply.
Future Ready Vision
Community Engagement Tools:
Planned future features include missed-call complaint systems and SMS water alerts for villagers.
Scalable to remote hamlets:
Flexible architecture allows easy replication in tribal areas, drought-prone belts, and hilly regions.
