Chapter 12
Reaching the Last Mile—Technology
Solutions and Models for Service Delivery
Sanghamitra Mishra and Koneru Vijaya Lakshmi
12.1 Background
About 884 million people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water
and are, therefore, forced to consume water that has high concentrations of bacteria,
viruses, protozoa or even chemical contaminants. As a result, more than 4000 children
die every day from diarrhoea (WHO 2011). 80% of the water-borne diseases in
developing countries originate from microbiological contamination.
Over the past few years, private market actors such as Hindustan Unilever Ltd.,
Tata Chemicals, PATH, Aquatabs, Antenna Technologies, Procter & Gamble, TARA
water services, Water Health International, Naandi have come up with promising
technological solutions such as silver-impregnated nano-technology-based water filters, membrane filters, chlorine solution and tablets, water kiosks based on UV and
membrane filters, slow sand filters, etc., for low-income customers. It is widely
recognised that new and emerging technologies such as nano-based water filtration,
have the potential to service this population due to their high efficacy, low-material
intensity and cost (Development Alternatives, May 2011).
Despite the availability of various technologies in the market to deal with the
water quality, the benefits have not percolated down to the 835 million strong BoP
population in India (Vijaya Lakshmi et al. 2011; 2013), who live on an annual income
of less than INR 200,000 (
BoP segment due to high cost of the filters, lack of awareness and demand for safe
water and irregular supply of products and after-sales services. Thus, any innovation
S. Mishra
Society for Development Alternatives, Currently in Oxfam India, New Delhi, India
e-mail: misra2011sanghamitra@gmail.com
K. Vijaya Lakshmi (B)
Society for Development Alternatives, New Delhi, India
e-mail: kvijayalakshmi@devalt.org
© The Author(s) 2018
S. Hostettler et al. (eds.), Technologies for Development,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91068-0_12
141
Reaching the Last Mile—Technology
Solutions and Models for Service Delivery
Sanghamitra Mishra and Koneru Vijaya Lakshmi
12.1 Background
About 884 million people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water
and are, therefore, forced to consume water that has high concentrations of bacteria,
viruses, protozoa or even chemical contaminants. As a result, more than 4000 children
die every day from diarrhoea (WHO 2011). 80% of the water-borne diseases in
developing countries originate from microbiological contamination.
Over the past few years, private market actors such as Hindustan Unilever Ltd.,
Tata Chemicals, PATH, Aquatabs, Antenna Technologies, Procter & Gamble, TARA
water services, Water Health International, Naandi have come up with promising
technological solutions such as silver-impregnated nano-technology-based water filters, membrane filters, chlorine solution and tablets, water kiosks based on UV and
membrane filters, slow sand filters, etc., for low-income customers. It is widely
recognised that new and emerging technologies such as nano-based water filtration,
have the potential to service this population due to their high efficacy, low-material
intensity and cost (Development Alternatives, May 2011).
Despite the availability of various technologies in the market to deal with the
water quality, the benefits have not percolated down to the 835 million strong BoP
population in India (Vijaya Lakshmi et al. 2011; 2013), who live on an annual income
of less than INR 200,000 (
BoP segment due to high cost of the filters, lack of awareness and demand for safe
water and irregular supply of products and after-sales services. Thus, any innovation
S. Mishra
Society for Development Alternatives, Currently in Oxfam India, New Delhi, India
e-mail: misra2011sanghamitra@gmail.com
K. Vijaya Lakshmi (B)
Society for Development Alternatives, New Delhi, India
e-mail: kvijayalakshmi@devalt.org
© The Author(s) 2018
S. Hostettler et al. (eds.), Technologies for Development,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91068-0_12
141