Tinsukia, May 14: After money, it's water.

Assam got its first water ATM today after chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated one at Kodomoni in Dibrugarh to provide safe drinking water.

But unlike an ATM, this machine will disburse water, purified by reverse osmosis technology, commonly known as RO, upon use of a smart card. This technology removes contaminants from water by pushing the water under pressure through a semi-permeable membrane.

The project, a joint initiative of the public health engineering department and district administration, has been set up with Rs 9.74 lakh.

One of the beneficiaries of the project, Panijogan Parichalona Samity, a water user's committee under the Kodomoni water scheme, has contributed one-third of the amount.

Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said his aim was to provide safe drinking water and urban amenities in the rural areas.

"This is a pilot project and will be extended throughout Assam," Sonowal added.

Talking to The Telegraph, Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Laya Madduri said this was the first water ATM installed under the rural water supply scheme in Assam. "With support of the water users' committee, this is a very good project for supplying safe and healthy drinking water and can be scaled up to other areas of the district."

Dibrugarh PHE executive engineer Bhaskar Jyoti Sarmah said, "The plant has a capacity of 10,000 litres per day, which will dispense 500 jars of 20 litres each."

"We estimate almost 200 households to benefit from it," he added.

At present, 48 households have direct water connection under the Kodomoni water scheme, he said.

"Regular customers will have to register by paying Rs 240 as fixed deposit against which they will get a smart card and a dispenser. The deposit will be refunded if the user surrenders his or her registration," Sarmah said.

Each time one swipes his or her smart card in the ATM, Rs 10 will be debited for 20 litres of water. The card can be recharged.

"There is a provision for non-regular customers too. Such customers can pay the amount to a 24X7 caretaker at the ATM, who will use his smart card and the customer can collect the water."

The inaugural function was attended by Dibrugarh MP Rameshwar Teli, MLA Prahanto Phukan, Lahoal MLA Rituparna Baruah, Tinsukia MLA Sanjay Kishan and Digboi MLA Suren Phukan.

"It was really an amazing experience to see water flowing out of an ATM machine," said Dibru College economics professor Laxman Bora, who also happens to be a member of the committee.