Sensorex, a Halma company, is a major player in high quality electrode and instruments manufacturer for water and process applications across various industries. Its general offerings like pH, conductivity, REDOX, DO, resistivity along with premium products like free chlorine sensors, chlorine dioxide sensors, ultra violet transmittance monitor using LED, SAM 1, etc. makes them unique in the market with competitive prices. T. A. Kumar, India Sales Manager, Sensorex (USA) talks about the changing scenario with regards to water and wastewater treatment.
Increased awarenessWater being one of the major diminishing natural resources, it is vital to concentrate on preserving it for the future. Even though 96 per cent of the earth’s crust is water, the quality and availability of fresh water which can be used for various applications, matters. Hence water treatment solutions play a vital role.
Sharing his opinion on the current trends in procurement of water treatment solutions, T. A. Kumar says, “Compared to the past 10 years, people today are more aware and equally concerned about water scarcity and that makes water treatment solutions more predominant. Earlier lack of knowledge and experience made people dependent on some short-term solutions and adopt traditional approach of water treatment solutions.” 
He observes that the scenario has now changed to such an extent that each and every individual is concerned about the future and is trying to explore for more knowledge on the current scenario and take actions proactively. This has become the basic criterion for the selection of solution providers. The communication media vehicles and several other web-based search engines play a major role in increasing awareness.
“The selection criterion has now changed to various milestones like technology, credibility, branding, proven results, etc. from the traditional reactive approach,” T. A. Kumar said. The government is keen with a serious approach to preserve all major water resources. This is also another major factor which influences the market in selecting the correct solution providers.
According to T. A. Kumar, all the above mentioned causes have driven the market to seek a suitable partner who is capable of sustainable resource management and improved indoor environmental quality by RRR approach:• Reduce the wastage of water. • Re-use of water which is generated as waste from one area can be effectively used in another area depending on its application requirement. • Recycle of the waste water generated by adopting advanced technologies which will help us to reduce the intake of fresh water from the earth is the final and most critical one, which means generating wealth from waste.
Buying tipsBefore making a decision on procurement of water and process solutions, a buyer should be aware of his current problems and its root cause which can be arrived through various means. T. A. Kumar illustrates some factors a buyer must consider while making procurement decision:• Competence of both the solution provider and the individual who is representing them.• Validate the solution provider for actual and thorough understanding of buyer’s current situation.• Company’s credibility in the market.• Look for any kind of measurable value communication or ROI projection in the proposal which is vital.• Look for any similar implementation and try to get feedback from them.• Validate their service modality and arrive at a service agreement regarding the after-sales support.• Try to get proposal from similar solution providers in the market to get an idea on the uniqueness of the product and technology and the associated commercial impact.• Decision to be taken based on the value addition (ROI, service, safety, environmental sustainability like water savings, energy savings, etc.)  from the  solution and not merely on the price.
Major innovationsWastewater treatment can be divided into two segments: effluent water and sewage water. The treatment is through various stages primary followed by biological and then tertiary treatment depending on the impurities in the effluent.
Explaining on the major innovations happening in the field of water and wastewater treatment T. A. Kumar says, “The latest innovations are membrane-based technology like Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) and in turn feed to thermal desalination which will be a full package for zero liquid discharge. The major advantage is lesser footprint and consistent quality in the product water which can be recycled back to the process.”The changing scenarioWith entry of global players, Indian market for water and wastewater treatment has evolved over the years. However, the question remains: Does Indian industry mature enough to make use of advanced water treatment technology optimally?  Commenting on this aspect, T. A. Kumar, “The general expectation from Indian industry on any kind of solution is better quality, good service support and cheaper price. Good and credible solution providers can make the first two aspects possible by adopting advanced water treatment technologies, whereas the third aspect is rare.”
At the same time T. A. Kumar observed that to go for state-of-the-art technology, it is a bit expensive than the traditional technology. “We need to look for value for which we are going to get rewarded in the long run, which may be in the form of environmental sustainability, protection and conservation of natural resource,” he adds.
There are challenges as well. The main bottleneck in adopting advanced technologies is the ambiguity on successful implementation, associated increase in the CAPEX and OPEX budget cost and finally hard mental shift from old conventional approach to new one. However, T. A. Kumar believes, “The scenario is expected to change in no time as people are getting more educated and concerned on the depletion of water resource.”
——————Decision to be taken based on the value addition from the solution and not merely on the price.
T. A. Kumar, India Sales Manager, Sensorex (USA)