SmartPaani Pvt. Ltd. was incubated under One Planet Solution from September 2011 through March 2013, upon which it became its own company. SmartPaani provides water solutions including rainwater harvesting, biosand filtration, greywater recycling, wastewater treatment, and consultation.

Rainwater Harvesting:

Kathmandu Valley receives 1600 millimeters of rain every year. This means that on a typical rooftop more than 160,000 liters of rain is available for capture and use. Municipal water supply is becoming increasingly inadequate, water quality questionable, and serves under half the demand in Kathmandu. Tanker water trucks are expensive and water quality questionable. Groundwater levels are depleting and quality is becoming increasingly worse. Harvest rainwater with a SmartPaani system, save water, save money, and recharge your well improving both its water quality and quantity. SmartPaani’s technical team is the most experienced in Nepal with over 450 installations in Kathmandu Valley within the past 7 years. We are constantly working to improve our products and will deliver you a quality and reliable system that utilizes this free water falling on your roof.

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Biosand Filtration:

SmartPaani can help you filter water for all uses. We use biosand filters based on Canadian design principles to remove bacteria, iron, and turbidity from well water. These are the most cost effective solutions for well-water filtration at the household level; operating costs are minimal, maintenance minimal and simple, and the filters are long-lasting. Un-filtered well water is hard, stains clothing, damages pipes and fixtures, reduces solar water heater effectiveness and lifespan, and ruins the white color of sinks, showers, and toilets. With the installation of one of our simple filters, these problems can be solved immediately. Additionally for municipal water and other soft water sources, slow sand filtration can remove the bacteria and make these sources safe for drinking.

Below is a flash file demonstrating the biosand filtration process for well water:

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Greywater Recycling

Water in Kathmandu is scarce. Solving this scarcity for a household is expensive; households spend 4000 rupees a month on tankers of water. Why flush this down the toilet? With SmartPaani water recycling systems, save money and improve the environment in your house with a green garden and clean walkways. Additionally, this water recycling system is plant based and can be an attractive centerpiece for a garden. Install a SmartPaani water recycling system today and enjoy reduced water bills, a green garden, and clean home. Below is a flash demonstration of a water recycling system, followed by frequently asked questions:

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What is Rainwater Harvesting?

Rainwater Harvesting is the collection and utilization of the rain that falls on rooftops and other surfaces for immediate and future use. This is done either by using storage tanks or recharging the rainwater into underground sources such as tube wells. One Planet Solution’s SmartPaani Team creates custom solutions based on your household’s needs and situation. Solutions range from tank-based storage for all uses during the rainy season, groundwater recharge for year-round water supply, or tank storage for year-round drinking and cooking uses. The case studies page illustrates different examples.

Is rainwater dirty?

No. Rainwater is pure. Rooftops are dirty, but filters can easily remove contaminants. We have installed systems where people use ONLY rainwater for drinking year round. Venerable institutions such as the Summit Hotel, Rosebud School, and the United States Educational Foundation have installed rainwater harvesting and use it for all the same uses they use municipal or tanker water for. Simple filtration or chlorination can make rainwater fit for drinking.

Isn’t rainwater harvesting expensive?

No. In fact it can be very economical. It is a one time investment and we estimate that more than 20 percent of the population in Kathmandu would benefit more from harvesting their own rainwater than putting in other high return investments. Some people have recovered the money spent on rainwater harvesting in under a year.

The rainy season is when the water supply is good, why should I harvest rainwater?

Three reasons: 1) This is not always the case and becoming increasingly less so. The current demand for water is 320 Million Liters Per Day while the supply is only 120 Million Liters a Day in the Monsoon. In 2002 the demand was 140 Million Liters a Day; every day the water situation becomes worse for somebody even in the monsoon, tomorrow that person could be you. More than 15% of Kathmandu’s population purchases trucks of water year round, meaning they spend more than 30,000 rupees a year on water. 2) Convenience; More than half of the people have to get up between 12 and 6 a.m. to deal with water, even during the monsoon. If you use the storage tank in your house to collect rainwater this inconvenience is avoided. Additionally the occasional sewage leaks that affect municipal supply, especially during the monsoon, will no longer be a problem during this time. 3)Groundwater – Most people we talked to used to have abundant water in their tube wells 15 years ago, but do not today. Why? Over pumping – No. The main problem is that the rain that used to go into the groundwater is now sent to the sewer. More rainwater inside the Ring Road is sent to the sewer than the much-hyped Melamchi will provide in a year. 15 years ago this figure was half. Before this water used to percolate into the ground and much of it remained for dry season consumption, this is no longer the case. SmartPaani can work with you to begin to help recharging this “wasted” rainwater into your well.