For nearly 20 years, turning on a tap in parts of Palghar did not guarantee water—it meant another day of walking long distances, carrying heavy vessels, and waiting for a basic necessity that never arrived.

In the tribal villages of Kalambholi and Balivali, spread across five hamlets in Palghar, Maharashtra, two water supply systems are in place to provide water. Yet, for three hamlets at the far end—Awadepada, Thakerepada, and Paradpada—water either never reached or arrived in trickles. Distance and hilly terrain reduced pressure in the pipelines, and the growing use of household motor pumps only made things worse, leaving the most vulnerable without access.

Instead of building a new system, a team from IIT Bombay, working with Ajivam Water and supported by Blue Star Limited CSR, focused on fixing what was already in place. Their solution—the Shaft, a simple hydraulic structure— restored pressure, released trapped air, and created balanced supply zones across the water supply system. The result was immediately felt, in the form of equitable distribution of water across all hamlets.

Water Access Transformed

The impact has been transformative. Hamlets that had 0% water access—Awadepada (9 households), Thakerepada (13), and Paradpada (10)—now receive water reliably, with access rising to 100%, 77%, and 45%, respectively.

In Balivali village, coverage improved from 50% to 100% across 106 households, while Kalambholi village sustained 100% access across 32 households. In total, 182 households across five hamlets are now part of a more reliable and equitable water system.

What this means for families goes beyond numbers. Children no longer miss school to fetch water. Women are freed from hours of daily labour. Households save money previously spent on motor pumps. For the first time in decades, water flows into homes— consistently and fairly.

Compact, affordable, and managed locally, the solution requires no external expertise, making it sustainable for the community. Recognised through a filed Indian patent and supported by national and state-level institutions [Ministry of Jal Shakti recommendation, Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran approvals (Thane, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)], it stands as a powerful example of how thoughtful engineering can transform lives.

It is this blend of simplicity, equity, and real-world impact that defines IIT Bombay’s approach—where innovation ensures that even the most basic needs reach those who have waited the longest.