Aabid Surti has spent decades being known for his work as an author, painter and cartoonist, but one of his most unusual missions began with something as ordinary as a dripping tap. In 2007, a leaking faucet made him think about how much water could be wasted one drop at a time. That thought eventually led him to start the Drop Dead Foundation, a water-conservation initiative through which he and a plumber have been visiting homes in Mumbai and repairing leaking taps for free. Over the years, the simple idea has helped save millions of litres of water.
The idea behind the mission
Surti’s concern about water conservation was shaped by his own childhood experiences in Mumbai. He reportedly grew up witnessing his mother queue for water early in the morning and seeing people struggle for access to it. Those memories stayed with him and later influenced his determination to prevent even small amounts of water from being wasted.The turning point came in 2007. According to BBC, a report about water wastage from leaking taps made Surti realise how significant a seemingly minor leak could become over time. The report cited an estimate that a tap dripping once every second could waste around 1,000 litres of water a month. Rather than simply talking about the problem, Surti decided to do something practical about it.He established the Drop Dead Foundation, with the motto “Save every drop, or drop dead.” The initiative focused on one simple task: finding leaking taps and getting them repaired before the wasted drops could add up.
Aabid Surti (Image Credit: Facebook/ @3rdEye – See the GOOD in Life)
Every Sunday, he fixes taps
Surti turned the idea into a weekly routine. Every Sunday, he would visit buildings in and around Mira Road, Mumbai, accompanied by a plumber and a volunteer or assistant. Before the visit, the team would approach the building’s management, put up notices and inform residents about the initiative.On Sunday, they would go from door to door asking residents whether they had leaking faucets that needed repair. The service was offered without charging homeowners. Surti also used the visits as an opportunity to explain why fixing even a small leak could help conserve water.What started as a personal effort gradually became a long-running conservation campaign. By 2024, Surti told the Free Press Journal that his continued efforts had helped save around 30 million litres of water from being wasted.
A mission he funded himself
One of the striking aspects of Surti’s campaign is that he helped fund the initiative himself, particularly in its early years. His work also received support from individuals and organisations over time, while residents were not charged for the repairs.His approach was deliberately simple. Rather than waiting for large infrastructure projects or expensive conservation systems, he concentrated on a problem that could be addressed at the household level.The Drop Dead Foundation’s work also attracted wider attention. In 2022, GROHE, a global German brand, partnered with Surti for a World Water Day campaign and described him as a “lone warrior” whose work had helped save more than 20 million litres of water.
More than a water activist
Surti’s work with leaking taps is only one part of his long career. Born in 1935, he trained at Mumbai’s J.J. School of Art and went on to work across several creative fields. He has been an author, painter, cartoonist, journalist, playwright and screenwriter.He has written more than 80 books, including novels, short-story collections and plays. His short-story collection Teesri Aankh earned him a National Award in 1993. He is also widely known for creating the popular cartoon character Dabbuji, while his other comic creations include characters such as Bahadur and Inspector Azad. His artistic career and environmental work may appear unrelated, but both reflect the same willingness to pursue ideas in his own way.
One drop at a time
Surti’s story stands out because his solution to a major environmental problem is remarkably ordinary. He did not begin with a large organisation or an expensive technology. He began by noticing a leaking tap and deciding that it should not be ignored.His weekly visits turned that small observation into a long-term mission. By repairing household leaks for free, he demonstrated how individual action can contribute to conservation when repeated consistently over many years.For Surti, the message remains simple: saving water does not always require a dramatic intervention. Sometimes, it can begin with nothing more than noticing a dripping tap and taking the time to fix it.
