Barmer engineer Dungar Singh Sodha invents a low-cost Desert Water Harvesting System (D-WHS) that conserves rainwater for drought-prone villages globally. The Desert Visionary Who Turned Arid Dreams Into Reality Barmer, a district located in the arid Thar Desert of Rajasthan, India, is not typically associated with innovation or technological breakthroughs. However, one man has defied expectations and put Barmer on the map for a groundbreaking innovation that has the potential to revolutionize water conservation and sustainable development in desert regions across the world. That man is Dungar Singh Sodha, widely hailed as the "Innovator of Barmer."The Invention: Desert Water Harvesting Structure (D-WHS) Dungar Singh Sodha’s most impactful invention is the Desert Water Harvesting Structure (D-WHS) - a modular, cost-effective system designed to harvest, purify, and store rainwater in arid regions. The invention is a unique blend of traditional Rajasthani water storage wisdom and modern engineering techniques. The D-WHS works through a combination of underground percolation tanks, solar-powered purifiers, and surface runoff channels. It not only stores monsoon water but also filters and redistributes it for agricultural, domestic, and livestock use. It uses gravity flow systems to reduce the dependency on electric pumps, which are often a challenge in rural India. The Origin of the Idea The idea came to Dungar Singh during the 2016 drought, which left his village parched and reliant on water tankers for months. Frustrated by the repeated water crises, he began studying ancient stepwells (baoris) and traditional kunds of Rajasthan. With guidance from environmental engineers, NGOs, and hydrologists, he began experimenting with structures that could collect and preserve even the smallest amount of rainfall. His first prototype, constructed with mud bricks, lime, and PVC piping, proved effective during the 2017 monsoon. Encouraged by this success, he refined the design using eco-concrete, and integrated solar desalination and natural filtration systems. Countries and Collaborators Behind the Invention Dungar Singh Sodha’s innovation drew international attention. Key collaborators include: • India: Supported by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, IIT Jodhpur, and local NGOs such as Tarun Bharat Sangh. • Germany: The Fraunhofer Institute provided technical assistance on solar desalination units. • Israel: Experts in desert agriculture and water conservation from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University shared strategies for arid zone irrigation. • USA: A team from MIT's D-Lab helped with structural modeling and sustainability optimization. The D-WHS has since been recognized under UNESCO’s Water Conservation Innovations Programme and presented at COP28. Structure and Technology The typical D-WHS module has: 1. Catchment Area: A treated surface that directs rainwater into a sedimentation pit. 2. Filtration System: Layers of gravel, sand, charcoal, and mesh filters. 3. Percolation Tank: An underground reservoir that naturally recharges groundwater. 4. Solar Desalination Chamber: Uses solar heat to distill and purify water. 5. Smart Monitoring Unit: IoT-enabled sensors to track water levels and quality. Each unit can store up to 50,000 liters of water and serve 30-50 households in a desert village. Cost and Funding The initial cost of a D-WHS unit was around ₹7 lakh (~$8,500 USD), but bulk production and design optimizations have brought it down to ₹3.5 lakh (~$4,200 USD) per unit. Funding came from: • Government of Rajasthan – ₹5 crore grant for pilot rollout. • UNDP and World Bank – Technical and financial aid. • Crowdfunding Campaigns – Initiated by local youth groups and NRIs from Rajasthan. Future Use and Plans Dungar Singh Sodha’s team is now working on scaling the project across: Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. • Africa – pilot tests in Kenya and Namibia • Middle East – proposed adoption in Jordan and Oman. Plans for future development include: • Integration with drip irrigation systems. • Linking to mobile apps for real-time monitoring. • Community ownership models to train local youth in maintenance. • By 2030, the goal is to install over 25,000 D-WHS units across drought-prone areas globally. Dungar Singh Sodha’s invention is not just a technical marvel – it is a testament to human resilience and grassroots innovation. His work proves that with determination, even the harshest landscapes can be transformed into zones of sustainability and hope. Barmer, once known for its heat and hardship, is now a beacon of eco-innovation, all thanks to the visionary efforts of one humble desert son.