NEERI-ZAR Instant Water Purification System
NEERI-ZAR Instant Water Purification System
Why in News?
The CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) has deployed its indigenous NEERI-ZAR Instant Water Filters in flood-affected districts of Assam to provide safe drinking water where conventional water-supply systems have been disrupted or contaminated.
What is NEERI-ZAR?
NEERI-ZAR is an indigenous emergency water-treatment technology developed by CSIR-NEERI to provide safe drinking water during floods, cyclones and other natural disasters.
It is designed particularly for situations where local water sources become contaminated and electricity-dependent water-treatment infrastructure is unavailable or disrupted.
The system can treat water obtained from rivers, ponds and wells, making it useful in areas where conventional drinking-water supply is interrupted.
Origin and Evolution of the Technology
NEERI-ZAR was originally developed in 2006 during the floods in Barmer, Rajasthan, as an emergency solution for providing potable water.
The technology was subsequently improvised and deployed during several disasters, including the 2009 Sundarbans cyclone, the 2013 Uttarakhand disaster, the 2015 Chennai floods, the 2018 Kerala floods and the 2019 Bihar floods.
Its repeated deployment demonstrates how an indigenous technology can be adapted and reused across different disaster situations and geographical conditions.
How Does NEERI-ZAR Work?
NEERI-ZAR is a gravity-based water-purification system, meaning that it does not require electricity to operate.
The system uses filtration and treatment processes to remove suspended matter, turbidity and microbial contamination from contaminated water.
The technology therefore allows locally available water sources to be converted into water suitable for drinking and cooking during emergencies.
Its gravity-based operation is particularly useful in disaster-hit areas where electricity supply and conventional water-treatment infrastructure may have been disrupted.
Key Features
• No electricity: NEERI-ZAR operates without an external electricity supply, making it suitable for areas affected by power outages.
• No operational cost: Once deployed, the units do not require significant operational expenditure for their functioning.
• Rapid deployment: The units are designed to be easily transported, assembled and installed in disaster-affected areas.
• Local water sources: The system can treat contaminated water from sources such as rivers, ponds and wells.
• Household and community use: NEERI-ZAR is available in both household-based and community-based configurations.
• Emergency suitability: The system is specifically designed to provide drinking and cooking water when normal water-supply systems are disrupted.
NEERI-ZAR Deployment in Assam
During the 2026 Assam floods, 100 NEERI-ZAR units were deployed in the affected region.
Of these, 75 were household-based units and 25 were community-based units.
Together, the 100 units have the capacity to produce approximately 2,500 litres of purified water per hour.
In Jonakimondal village of Jorhat district, five household-based and five community-based units were initially installed to demonstrate the technology and provide immediate access to safe water.
A further 70 household-based and 20 community-based units were handed over to the Jorhat district administration for distribution among flood-affected communities.
Local Assembly and Indigenous Innovation
The NEERI-ZAR units deployed in Assam were assembled at CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, using locally available materials within two days.
The deployment therefore demonstrates the importance of local manufacturing and rapid assembly capabilities in disaster-response technologies.
The initiative also represents collaboration between CSIR-NEERI and CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), combining water-treatment expertise with local infrastructure and field capabilities.
Importance in Disaster Management
Floods frequently contaminate drinking-water sources with pathogens, sewage, sediments and other pollutants, increasing the risk of water-borne diseases.
When conventional water-treatment and distribution systems are damaged, affected communities often become dependent on bottled drinking water transported from outside the affected region.
NEERI-ZAR provides a decentralised alternative by allowing communities to treat locally available water close to the point of consumption.
Its portability and electricity-free operation make it particularly relevant to emergency drinking-water security in flood-prone and disaster-affected regions.
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🔹 Environmental Significance
Disaster relief operations often involve the distribution of large quantities of bottled water and packaged beverages, generating significant quantities of plastic waste.
NEERI-ZAR can reduce dependence on bottled water by enabling communities to purify locally available water instead of relying entirely on packaged drinking water.
Thus, the technology can simultaneously address drinking-water insecurity and the environmental burden of plastic waste generated during disaster relief.
Broader Significance
NEERI-ZAR demonstrates how indigenous scientific innovation can provide practical solutions to climate- and disaster-related challenges.
The technology is particularly relevant for India because floods, cyclones and other natural disasters frequently disrupt water, sanitation and electricity infrastructure.
Its decentralised nature also supports the principle of community resilience, as affected populations can access safe water without waiting for complete restoration of centralised infrastructure.
The technology highlights the importance of integrating science and technology, disaster management, public health and environmental sustainability.
