BASF, NMMC collaborate on safe water and sanitation project

Over 10,000 citizens from Turbhe Store, a suburb of Navi Mumbai, will now have access to clean and affordable drinking water through the “Landmark Project” – a water and sanitation initiative by BASF – with the support of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC). The concept for the landmark project was first developed through a series of social dialog sessions in Mumbai during BASF’s 150th anniversary activities in 2015, and has now come to fruition in an innovative, community-based social business model.

In the first phase of the landmark project, a rainwater harvesting plant and a smart card-based community water treatment plant, commonly referred to as a “water ATM”, were introduced in Navi Mumbai by the NMMC Mayor Jayawant Dattatray Sutar, along with Dr. N. Ramaswami, Commissioner, NMMC and Dr. Raman Ramachandran, Chairman and Managing Director, BASF India and Head, BASF South Asia, as well as other dignitaries from BASF and NMMC.

The Landmark Project was set up by BASF on land provided by NMMC, and after two years will be handed over, to be owned and operated by a local community-based organisation. It represents a holistic approach to water and sanitation. The solar-powered, cashless water ATM will dispense potable drinking water at just ` 8 per 20 litres when accessed with a debit card. Uniquely, water is harvested from rain and other sources and are purified using innovative technologies including an ultrafiltration solution from BASF.

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