Panasonic to collaborate with Tata to develop water purification system for Indian market

Japanese company Panasonic is planning to develop a compact water purification system for India in collaboration with Tata Group.

Japanese Economic daily Nikkei reports that Panasonic has developed a prototype of a photocatalyst that detoxifies harmful substances from water to make it safe to drink.

The product has been designed especially to serve the under-developed rural sections of the country that lack adequate water supply infrastructure.

The compact prototype can be carried in a small truck and can process three tonnes of drinking water, which is enough to supply 20 average-sized households a day.

Panasonic will work with Tata to lower the cost of each tonne of water to less than JPY100 ($0.95), reports Nikkei.

The partners are looking to commercialise the product by the fiscal year 2018.

Nikkei cited reports by the Japan Research Institute that said water-related businesses in Asia and Oceania will reach $90bn in 2020.

The Indian market for organised water purifiers is worth around Rs2.6bn ($430m) at present, which is expected to go up to Rs30bn ($495m) by 2015, according to The Economic Times.

Nikkei also pointed out that the Japanese players are trying to tap into the fast-growing Asian market by capitalising on unique competitive technologies in water purification.