Post rains, flood water is Bengaluru's new nightmare, but here's a 'magic' solution

Bengaluru, Sep 10: The last few weeks have been nothing less than a nightmare for most of the south India with rains playing havoc in various cities including Bengaluru which witnessed a disastrous flood-like situation. Even though the rains have calmed, the aftermath of its destruction like severe urban flooding and water stagnation is now the new bad news. The torrential downpour and faulty drainage systems have led to flooding in several parts of the city, thereby exposing the city infrastructure.

However, imagine if there was a magic powder that solidified all that dirty flood water and made everything easier? Well, an organisation in the city has claimed to have discovered exactly this powder to remove water from your home, and making it livable again.

If the powder really does all that it claims to do, it will be a huge blessing for the city. Not just those living in the low-lying areas but even the billionaires also have been bearing the brunt of the nature. The flooding has also resulted in the residents making attempts to drain out the water and remove sludge from their houses and basements. Even after almost four days, many Bengalureans are yet to get water pumped out from the premises.

Speaking to News9, a student working for the organisation said,''Because of the heavy rains people are facing flooding in their homes. So, now we have discovered a powder. By Sprinkling this powder the water turns into a solid form that is easy to remove.''

The compound is completely safety for use and is not harmful for health. And moreover, the compound is affordable and fast acting too.

The chemical compound is called sodium polyacrylate which costs around Rs 70 only. The extremely high absorption efficiency of sodium polyacrylate can fully meet the needs of urban drainage problems.

What is Sodium Polyacrylate?
Sodium polyacrylate also known as waterlock, is a sodium salt of polyacrylic acid and has broad applications in consumer products. This super-absorbent polymer (SAP) has the ability to absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. Sodium polyacrylate is an anionic polyelectrolyte.

Since sodium polyacrylate can absorb and retain water molecules, it is used often in diapers, hair gels, and soaps. Sodium polyacrylate is considered a thickening agent because it increases the viscosity of water-based compounds.

How does it work?
Add two spoons of the chemical compound and the water gets converted into solid form within 5 minutes. Then by adding iodine, it can be converted back to water.