Self-Cleaning eToilets

The world’s most economically priced solar powered, self-cleaning eToilet with inbuilt solar panel and metallic platform is set to bridge India’s ever growing sanitation gap.

The alarming statistics of over 600 million people defecating in the open and even more than 1,000 children dying due to preventable diseases like diarrhoea every day in India, made Dr. Siddeek Ahmed, Chairman and Managing Director of Eram and ITL Group get into this highly nascent and neglected Indian public sanitation sector. Eram Scientific Solutions (ESS) has come up with the county’s first electronic public toilet named eToilets (Patent Pending) to catalyze better hygiene and sanitation practices.

eToilet is a revenue generating sanitation model designed and engineered to suit the Indian cities and urban locations. This innovation involves unmanned operations and thus ensures easy and continual operation while minimizing maintenance costs. The toilets are built of stainless steel or mild steel enclosures and have electronic systems for enhancing user experience. The important features include automated access control systems, sensor enabled water minimization and self-washing & floor wash mechanisms.

The interiors provide a high ambience in terms of look, feel and functionality. The LED lights glow only when a person enters. The toilets have ample natural ventilation and offers privacy and safety.

These sleek and modular, unmanned self-cleaning eToilets have simple user interfaces. The integrated a comprehensive maintenance plan ensures that the eToilets are clean and hygienic for every user. The eToilet has a facility of pre-flushing before entering, automatic flushing once usage is done, in-built water tanks, sensors for water and electricity conservation and automatic platform cleaning and power back-up with coin operated entry. Keeping in mind individual needs, the toilets are programmed to flush 1.5 litres of water after three minutes of usage or 4.5 litres if usage is longer. The performance status of the units can also be monitored via web using GPRS connectivity of the units.

The units incorporate a full-cycle approach in sustainable sanitation by integrating electrical, mechanical and webmobile technologies. They offer custom-sized Stainless Steel enclosures that are extremely durable, corrosion-resistant and are unswerving in the long run. The various product variants include eToilet General Public Model, Civic/School Model, E-Lite 14 for schools and She Toilet.

Taking Developmental Steps Forward

Eram Scientific has unveilled World’s most economically priced solar powered, self-cleaning eToilet, with inbuilt solar panel and metallic platform for schools. The model called e-Lite14 eToilet for schools has automated selfcleaning and washing mechanisms and automatic floor wash system, automatic ceiling light, in-built sensors to conserve electricity and water and an overhead water tank. The base of eToilet is made of stainless steel, with specially designed closet and body built of Mild Steel for durability and safety. Ample natural lighting and ventilation are provided. This model caters to NGOs, CSR projects, and Foundations.

The Social Impact

 Eram Scientific has installed over 650 e-toilets in more than 15 states covering whole of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, New Delhi, Andra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Nagpur, and Haryana. There are collaborations with different Foundations for further R& D on e- toilets.
Recently, the e-toilet project has been selected by the Marico Innovation Foundation for its acceleration programme, as one among the ventures that could make significant impact on the development processes. ESS envisions a future to water and sanitation where waste water treatment industry and public sanitation facilities would stand for the principles of recycle, recover and reuse.

ESS Research & Development

The Company has received grant for developing Cost effective & sustainable eToilets by the Gates Foundation supported “Reinvent the Toilet Challenge: India “(RTTC – India) for specific communities such as slums. This research will involve ‘field testing of off-grid, self-sustained, modular, electronic toilet for large communities, with solar energy for Indian weather and integrated with mixed waste processing unit, with water, energy/ fertilizer recovery. RTTC-India is a collaborative effort of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Govt. of India and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This program is an India-specific program modelled on the Gates Foundation’s global Reinvent the Toilet Challenge (RTTC), under which Eram Scientific has been already awarded grant in 2012. As part of this grant received in 2012, Eram developed the prestigious Imperial Model of eToilet with modular components like automatic sterilization, vacuum flushing and atmospheric water generator.

Eram is also working with three international institutions,California Institute of Technology, Duke University, University of South Florida, to develop better and sustainable waste water treatment/ usage facility, energy generation from faecal waste and solar panels attached to the units in order to run the automated systems.