Solar-Powered Water-Dispensing ATMs: The Future Of Water Shortage Solutions?

In countries like Pakistan, where access to clean drinking water is not always guaranteed, an ATM dispensing free, clean water is a blessing. The Clean Water Company and Innovations for Poverty Alleviation Lab have created and placed a solar-powered ATM in Pakistan that, instead of dispensing cash, distributes clean water to all users who swipe their smart cards.

Users are issued a card that they can use to receive a daily share of clean, safe water. The ATM is meant to provide a clean water supply to the rural communities on the fringes of or outside urban and metropolitan areas, according to Business Insider.  The machine is also designed to cut down on water waste, so that the government can be assured that clean water is properly allocated.

"The innovative machines will help the government maintain a record of the exact quantity of clean drinking water being dispensed in a day in a specific locality, besides ensuring its quality," Jawad Abbasi, a program manager at IPAL, told Business Insider.

Furthermore, the ATM will collect data on the quality and quantity of water dispensed. Each family will be able to collect 30 liters of clean water daily. The organizations plan on installing 20 machines total throughout the Punjab district in Pakistan, aiding 17,500 families in total.