In India, the Cell phone today is everywhere. From the Rickshaw drivier to the house-wife, almost 70% of India's huge population is connected.
NextDrop a company formed in the US by by Anu Sridharan, a University of California, Berkeley grad.is trying to use this means to solve a practical problem in India - WATER !
NextDrop provides real-time updates on water availability via text message, alerting subscribers in Hubli, India, 30-60 minutes prior to piped water delivery.
The Utility's employees inform Nextdrop network via text when valves are opened, this is relayed to the residents giving them a real-time update via text. Infact they report back in the event the news is false... giving a clear and accurate report to the engineers who are tracking the status via a Google Maps dashboard!
Being a for-profit social enterprise, the monthly fee for NextDrop subscribers is just five rupees.
In recent months, the service has expanded to more than 1,000 registered customers.
NextDrop a company formed in the US by by Anu Sridharan, a University of California, Berkeley grad.is trying to use this means to solve a practical problem in India - WATER !
NextDrop provides real-time updates on water availability via text message, alerting subscribers in Hubli, India, 30-60 minutes prior to piped water delivery.
The Utility's employees inform Nextdrop network via text when valves are opened, this is relayed to the residents giving them a real-time update via text. Infact they report back in the event the news is false... giving a clear and accurate report to the engineers who are tracking the status via a Google Maps dashboard!
Being a for-profit social enterprise, the monthly fee for NextDrop subscribers is just five rupees.
In recent months, the service has expanded to more than 1,000 registered customers.