Bio-Digester Technology
India has historically always had advanced sanitation and hygiene systems, the best example being the advanced hydraulic engineering, water supply and sanitation systems built by our ancestors in the Indus Valley Civilisation and MohenjoDaro. These civilisations had the world's earliest known system of flush toilets and were connected to a common sewerage system. The urban areas of the Indus Valley Civilisation had a network of public and private toilets with sewage being disposed through underground drains. These drains were built with precisely laid brick, and a sophisticated water management system. Over the ages things changed, and today we are the world’s most populous country with some of the world’s highest population densities in our cities.
Human waste (faecal matter) disposal is an ever growing problem leading to threat of organic pollution and rise of infectious diseases due to contamination of our ground water, food chain and drinking water resources.
Solution
Our local government bodies have been unable to cope with the population explosion and as a result we have some unfavourable conventional waste disposal technologies like Septic Tank Systems. The extensive usage of septic tanks along with soak/leach pits and open defecation has led to the degradation of our environment posing serious health hazards. We would like to provide a solution to this problem – Bio-Digester Technology – to preserve and save our environment for the future generations.
Bio-Digester Tank (Top View)
Biodigester technology toilets have the same look and feel as any other regular toilet. The only difference is the manner in which the human waste (faecal matter) is treated. Over the past few years a variety of treatment solutions have surfaced in the market but none of them are as popular and efficient as the biodigester technology developed by DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. This technology was developed to cater to soldiers in high altitude areas like Siachen and also had to be robust enough to cater to the needs of soldiers in the deserts of Rajasthan. This means that the operating temperatures range from -25°C to +50°C.
With successful results, this technology is being offered to the entire country under the Swacch Bharat Mission. DRDO is a premier research organisation and has left no stone unturned to ensure that the very best technology is offered to the market.
The biodigester toilet system has two key components, which perform the task of treating human waste matter and converting it into safe water fit for irrigation/gardening :
Anaerobic Microbial Inoculum (AMI)
Anaerobic Microbial Inoculum (AMI), sometimes referred to as the DRDO Bacteria, is a non-hazardous solution which is poured into the biodigester tank. The bacteria work continuously treating human faecal matter and converting it into water, carbon dioxide and methane.
Anaerobic Microbial Inoculum (AMI)
Bio-Digester Tank
A specially designed tank, known as the biodigester tank, contains the AMI. Black water (toilet discharge) flows into this tank for treatment. This tank can be installed over or under the ground as per the site requirements. It is delivered factory assembled and only the inlet and outlet connections have to be established at the site.