Inside Lambert Water’s Mission to Clean India’s Waste Streams

Lambert Water’s story begins at Bada Talab in Ranchi, where witnessing untreated effluents transform a once-vibrant lake into a polluted water body left a lasting impression on founder Abhijeet Kumar. This early exposure to environmental neglect inspired him to pursue innovation in wastewater treatment. Building on his research at NEERI, where he developed his first reactor and leveraging experience with leading organizations like Tata, Aditya Birla Group, Unilever, and leadership roles in two startups, Abhijeet identified critical flaws in traditional sewage and effluent treatment plants: their inefficiency, rigidity, and inability to adapt to real-world industrial challenge.

In response, he founded  Lambert Water: a modular, decentralised solution grounded in electrochemical technology, named after Lambert-Beer’s Law, the principle used to measure the clarity of water, and the Lambert-Fisher Glacier in Antarctica, the world's largest glacier, to reflect its ambition for purity and scale.

The Technology: Water Battery™ and Beyond

Lambert Water’s flagship innovation, the Water Battery™, is a compact, plug-and-play wastewater treatment unit integrating seven processes, including electrocoagulation, electrooxidation, electromagnetic induction, flotation, and disinfection. The system is designed for chemical-free operation, reducing chemical dependency by 60% and sludge generation by 70%, while maintaining treatment speeds up to 110 times faster than traditional plants.

A key innovation lies in its wireless, modular reactor architecture. The proprietary electrode design, combined with IoT 4.0 monitoring, enables easier maintenance, scalability, and optimised real-time performance. Crucially, the technology addresses passivation—a critical challenge in electrochemical systems—through induced electrode movement, extending lifespan and reducing downtime.

Complementing the Water Battery™, Lambert’s Softion system delivers advanced, chemical-free removal of hardness and silica from cooling towers and drinking water. Softion reduces scaling by up to 85% and biofouling by 70%, enabling facilities to decrease fresh water demand and minimise maintenance. 

Team Dynamics and Hiring Philosophy

Lambert was founded from a living room in Thane and grew into a hands-on team of engineers and field experts. The co-founder, Rayan Lobo, brings a background in mechanical, marine and mechatronics engineering, overseeing engineering, operations, and R&D.

Rather than prioritise resumes, the team looks for resilient problem-solvers who thrive in uncertain, high-effort startup environments. Late nights, on-site troubleshooting, and team-driven experimentation are part of the culture.

Institutional Backing and Early Growth

The startup's journey has been supported by premier incubators such as IIT Madras' ICCW, Social Alpha, MAGIC, Wadhwani Foundation, and SPJMR's SPTBI and WISE. These partnerships provided vital mentorship, funding access, and visibility through pitch competitions and innovation showcases.

Strategic pilots have been executed across diverse industries, from textiles to chemicals, consistently achieving pollutant removal rates between 60%- 95%.  The company’s early commercial traction is equally notable. Lambert has secured key orders from Enviro Water Tech, Ever Enviro, and the Government of Kerala, deploying systems capable of treating between 10,000 and 140,000 liters per day. Strategic partnerships with industry leaders like Thermax, Aerocare, and Memtrix have further expanded market reach and integration opportunities. With a $2.5 million sales pipeline and profitability since its first year, Lambert is well-positioned for rapid growth

Addressing India’s Water Crisis with Decentralisation

India generates about 72 billion litres of wastewater every day, but only 28% of it is actually treated. This means over 70% of the country’s wastewater is discharged untreated into the environment, and less than 4% of treated wastewater is currently reused. Centralised systems often fail due to space constraints, chemical dependency, and operational rigidity. Lambert’s decentralised model flips the script.

By offering site-specific, modular reactors, Lambert empowers clients to treat wastewater at the source. Its clientele includes water-intensive industries, municipalities, hotels, hospitals, and even residential complexes. The solution's adaptability makes it ideal for both retrofitting existing plants and creating new installations.

Market Opportunity and Revenue Model

Targeting a $9 billion Indian wastewater treatment market, Lambert uses a three-pronged revenue model:

• CAPEX Sales of Water Battery units customised to effluent types and load.
• Recurring Revenue via O&M contracts, consumables (electrodes), and remote monitoring.
• BOOT/Pay-As-You-Go Models, charging clients based on water treated or reused.

Lambert also offers paid pilot trials and tech licensing for integration into broader treatment ecosystems.

Scalability and Future Plans

Scalability is embedded in the Water Battery’s DNA. Just like car batteries, capacity can be increased by adding more modular units. 

The technology adapts to shock loads up to 80%, ensuring resilience and continuity. Lambert is currently expanding its manufacturing capacity and recruiting specialists to drive innovation.

In parallel, Lambert is developing Softion, an advanced, chemical-free reactor for removing hardness and silica from water and exploring international markets in Southeast Asia and Africa.

Environmental Impact and Recognition

Lambert’s impact extends beyond clean water. Its system drastically reduces chemical pollution and GHG emissions, and produces non-toxic sludge that can be reused for landfill or gardening. By helping industries stay compliant, it also supports job security and public health.

Recognised as a Climate Smart Innovation Winner by SDI 2025, a Startup Maharathi Awardee, and a top innovator by NITI Aayog and Social Alpha, Lambert is gaining both national and global traction.