Hydra Nova began with a realisation: clear water doesn’t always mean safe water.

When we started researching invisible contaminants in drinking water, we found that the problem was closer than we expected. A Delhi government-commissioned study by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) detected high levels of microplastics in the Yamuna River and groundwater across all 11 districts. PFAS – synthetic “forever chemicals” that don’t break down in the environment or the human body, are also finding their way into our water, yet aren’t part of routine testing in India.

These are things you can’t see, taste, or smell. Most people don’t know to look for them. We spent months researching sustainable ways to address this. The result is Aqua Sattva – a dual-filtration system designed to remove both microplastics and PFAS from drinking water using natural, affordable materials. We developed and tested our prototype at a laboratory at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and the early results are encouraging.
We are now at the stage where independent laboratory testing will tell us exactly how much contamination Aqua Sattva removes – the evidence we need to refine the product and take it further.

Your contribution will go toward:

* Certified PFAS water analysis
* Microplastic testing and measurement
* Materials and equipment for the next phase of prototype development

We are two high school students doing this because we believe the problem is real and the solution is within reach. Every contribution — however small – moves us one step closer to water we can trust.
When donating, please add your name in the payment note- we’ll send you your official Hydra Nova Water Hero badge as a small thank you for joining our mission.

Thank you for being part of this.

Naina and Nayantara – founders, Hydra Nova