Part 5: Drinking water supply business
Southegowdanahalli is the only location where water is available at shallower depths and in plenty throughout the year. Mr.Krishnamurthy is a successful entrepreneur running a commercial drinking water supply business since 2002. Krishnamurthy supplies 50,000-100,000 litres of water every day. He is majorly supplying water to two apartments like Brigade and other apartment.
Businessman Mr.Krishnamurthy
- He has 3 water tankers having the capacity 12,000, 4000 and 3000litres each. Mostly 12,000litres capacity tanker is put into use(which saves on the cost)
- For 4000litres capacity tanker Rs.400 is charged. There is no GST charged for water supply
- Mr.Krishnamurthy has 4 borewells at 700, 300 and two borewells at 250feet in depth drilled in 2013,2014, 2015 and 2016. Each borewell is yielding about 1 inch water.
- His business is having the current demand of 50,000litres a day. Krishnamurthy is fully equipped to supply around 150,00-180,000 litres a day.
- The water storage sump is of the capacity 100,000litres which is at the basement of his building.
- He is also practicing groundwater recharge from the outflows from the tankers. The recharge well is 20feet in depth.
Basement sump
Recharge well
- He shifted to solar panels in the year 2014 to cut down cost incurred on pumping. Every month Rs.60,000-70,000 was the cost incurred on pumping the groundwater. After shifting to solar panels the cost incurred on pumping has come down to Rs.5000 which is mostly due to non sunny days. The capital cost on solar panels is at Rs.740,000 which can generate 6.5kilowatt of electricity. In his words, “I have recovered the capital cost on solar panels within a year in the form of cost savings on the electricity bills. I have benefited the most from Solar panels.”
- For each borewells one hp motor is put into use.
- On groundwater he says the surrounding 150acres has a high Groundwater table. It is ideal to tap top soil water. As the borewell goes deeper there are less chances of striking water.
- Every day the entrepreneur checks for TDS levels in the water where the counts were .36 and .40 when he demonstrated the testing.
- The entrepreneur is planning to expand his business by installing a new RO plant where he can supply bottled water. He is aiming to provide 20litres of water at a competitive price of Rs.4 where he confidently says he could still be able to make profits.
– Rakshitha M L