Researchers from the Department of Biotechnology at Chandigarh University (CU) have been granted a patent by the Patent Office, Government of India, for an innovative wastewater filtering device. The invention, titled 'Waste Water Filtering Device,' was developed by Prof. (Dr.) Anu Kumar along with biotechnology students Bhanu Krishan and Shivani.
The patent comes at a time when water scarcity remains a significant challenge in India. According to data cited from the Economic Survey 2025-26, India generates roughly 112 billion litres of urban wastewater daily, while only 8% of it is recycled and reused. The new device is designed to capture and treat kitchen wastewater locally before it enters drainage systems, allowing households to repurpose the water for gardening, cleaning, and other non-potable uses.
Explaining the technical mechanism, Prof. Kumar noted that the device operates through a two-stage filtration process integrated within a modified strainer housing. When kitchen wastewater from washing utensils enters the system, it first passes through polyurethane sheets coated with silica along the inner walls. These sheets absorb oily constituents and soap micelles. Following this primary absorption stage, the water flows through a second section containing activated charcoal to adsorb remaining contaminants. A tailpipe then conveys the filtered water into an attached storage tank.
Deepinder Singh Sandhu, Senior Managing Director at Chandigarh University, highlighted the institution's broader research framework. According to university data, CU faculty and students have filed over 6,100 patents, with 5,800 published and 260 granted. The institution supports its research infrastructure through an allocated annual budget of Rs 15 Crore, alongside 60 research centers, 15 centers of excellence, and funding support from government bodies and the corporate sector.
Located near Chandigarh in Punjab, the university offers various undergraduate and postgraduate programs and holds a NAAC A+ grade recognition. The development of the kitchen wastewater filtering device highlights ongoing academic contributions toward resource conservation and domestic utility management.
"The development and patenting of this kitchen wastewater filtration device highlight the practical application of academic research toward pressing environmental challenges like water scarcity. In a country where urban wastewater generation is high and recycling rates remain low, decentralized solutions at the household level can play a meaningful role in resource conservation. Commercializing such innovations will require scalable manufacturing and cost-effective deployment to make them accessible to urban households, bridging the gap between laboratory research and everyday utility." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
