`Retas': A mission to harvest every possible raindrop

A Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company decided to do rainwater harvesting. It turned to Retas, an Indian company that offers a modular rainwater harvesting system called Rainmxx Tank. Three Rainmaxx tanks, each that can hold up to 6 lakh liters of water, were installed on the company's premises. After the monsoon, when summer arrived, the company used the harvested rainwater for various purposes for nearly six months.

"There is a severe water crisis across the country. And rainwater is one of the best sources of water that we do not utilize properly. Many people opt out of traditional rainwater harvesting (in brick/cemented containers) due to its high maintenance costs," says Ankit, one of the founders of Retas.

Retas's Rainmaxx tanks are made of recycled polypropylene and are very easy to main. The water tank has pre-filtered units fixed on its surface, with various filters that filter the rainwater before entering it. Inside the tank, a porous synthetic material called geotextile is fitted. Geotextile acts as an extra filter that allows only the water particles to penetrate.

Around 4-5 years ago, Ankit Magan, Neeraj Chauhan, and Priyank Jain held up in traffic caused by the flooded streets during the monsoon season. "We realized that all that rainwater was going to drainage was wasted. This experience is when building something sustainable popped into our heads," Ankit says.

"Retas is a Sanskrit word for a raindrop. Our primary vision is to conserve and harvest every possible raindrop. To keep working as a catalyst until rainwater becomes a natural resource for everyone," he says.

The Rainmaxx tank can be installed anywhere from under landscape surfaces to car parking. "Each Rainmaxx tank can hold up a minimum of 30 tonnes per square meter and its water storage capacity. So many of our clients use it in parking areas," Ankit says.

"Rainmaxx tank is also a possible solution to mitigate floods," he says. "The durability of our product is also high. We give out customers 50 years warranty," he added. Retas also does rainwater harvesting methods by using artificial ponds.

Rainmaxx tanks are installed in a few gated communities and industries, including Hyderabad. Some of their customers are IKEA, Titan, PepsiCo, and more. Retas is also gearing up to do a project with the Civil Aviation Research Organization (CARO) at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad.

Retas is one of the many companies that will participate in INK@WASH 3.0 (Innovations & New Knowledge in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), which will be held in Hyderabad in May 2022. INK@WASH is a unique platform instituted by the Telangana municipal administration and urban development (MAUD) department in partnership with the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) for collaboration between start-ups/innovators, mentors, academic institutions, non-profits, funders, and state/city governments.

(NewsMeter is the formal media partner for INK@WASH 3.0. The newsMeter has written this article in association with the Administration Staff College of India (ASCI).