Low-cost coin-operated water vending machine makes its way to market

Rs 8k spent by students to develop the machine

At a time when the fear of water-borne diseases is spreading fast, due to non availability of good quality drinking water, four engineering students have developed a simple and economical water dispenser, which can be operated by inserting a coin.

Final year Mechanical Engineering students of ATME College of Engineering, Mysuru, D V Raghu, Gayaz Mohammed, Mohammed Mohiyuddin Shariff and M D Yaseen Ahmed, all residents of Mysuru, have developed the low-cost, portable, compact, economical and simple ‘Water Vending Machine’, which accepts a Re 1 coin and dispenses a glass of water from pre-purified 20 litre cans, which are available in market, as part of their project work.

According to N Rakshith, assistant professor, department of Mechanical Engineering, one of the guides, the students have successfully completed the project at a cost of Rs 8,000. The project was selected for financial funding of Rs 7,000, by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST). It was recognised as the ‘Outstanding project’ and was presented the ‘Project or the Year’ award by KSCST.

Idea evolved

According to C Chandra Shekar, the public relations officer of the college, the students got the idea from the water vending machines installed in the Railway stations, which require larger space and high investment.

“Students began with a public survey in malls, theatres, markets and tourist places about the need for drinking water and its availability. The common question asked was, how will you fulfill the requirement of drinking water in public places? A majority of the answers was, “buying of an one litre water bottle, which costs Rs 20”.

“Following the results of the survey, the students planned to develop a coin-operated portable water vending machine, which accepts a coin and dispenses 250 ml of pre-purified water available in the market in cans from genuine and trusted suppliers.

“The water dispenser also aims at encouraging the eople to avoid generation of plastic waste. Local entrepreneurs can earn some extra money by installing such dispensers in their establishments in public places,” Rakshit said.

G N Chandan, assistant professor, department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, was also another guide to the students, in executing the project.