NextDrop

 University of California, Berkeley

India is rapidly urbanizing.  Over the next 2 decades, an estimated $800 Billion is required to build the infrastructure that will support the country’s growing economy. In communities where piped water is available only for short and unpredictable intervals, people spend hours waiting next to dry taps, and are frequently forced to buy water from private suppliers at high cost or use water from unsafe sources, often with serious health consequences.
 
NextDrop is leveraging the recent proliferation of mobile phones in India to provide households with accurate and timely information about when piped water will become available in their area. The team is creating India’s first Human-Powered Smart Grid by turning the country’s infrastructure-operators into human sensors.  NextDrop partners with utilities to collect, analyze, and disseminate information to both decision-makers and city residents.  Their services enable utilities to become more efficient and more transparent, while improving the lives of citizens.