Sudhir Gawand

To adopt method invented by a Thane resident, who used rubber bands, pins, bottle cap to save 25 to 30 litres of water a day 

    Every time you flush, six litres of processed water goes down the toilet. Even though it may not be required. Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) intends to arrest this wastage of water by suggesting a small modification in the flush tank. It costs less than Rs 5, but could save 25 to 30 litres of water for every household. 

    The modification was invented by 59-year-old Thane resident Sudhir Gawand, director of Thane Janta Sahakari Bank and former production manager with Sandoz India Ltd. Gawand said, “Ever since water scarcity became such a critical issue in the state I started thinking about ways in which we could save water. I realised we waste too much water with every flush and have little control over it.” 

    Gawand first modified his own flush tank with the help of a few rubber bands, pins and the lid of a plastic bottle. “Every time we push down the handle, the waterway opens up and the water gushes down the bowl till the stick inside the flush reaches its bottom. I have simply arrested this process and now the water flows only when we lift the tap,” Gawand explains his modifications. 

    After successfully modifying flushes at his house, he replicated his experiment at a nearby police station and his bank. When TMC learned about the concept, Chief Engineer K D Lala, visited Gawand’s house along with his team. 

    Impressed with the concept, TMC has now planned to conduct a demonstration of Gawand’s experiments at all their ward offices on Sundays. “Also we can plan to give a demonstration to individual societies if Gawand finds time. If all of the one lakh homes in Thane city adopt this technique, we will save more than 20 MLD water for the city,” said Lala. 

HOW TO MODIFY YOUR FLUSH TANK 

• Make a hole in any small plastic pet bottle lid and pass any electric wire through it which should be tied at the top end 

• Tie other end of the bottle to the stick inside the toilet. Ensure that you have inserted flush tank lid through this wire 

• To arrest the movement of the stick inside the flush tie it up with the rubber bands

The inside of a flush tank (above) and the knob (left) that Sudhir Gawand (far left) modified to help save water