In February of 2008, Sarvajal started as one fellow's test project for the non-profit organization Grassroots Development Laboratory in association with the Piramal Foundation. One reverse-osmosis water purification machine was made from scratch, and used to provide affordable, pure drinking water to the small town of Bagar in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. Much of the natural water in Rajasthan is high in fluoride content, resulting in serious bone, joint and digestive ailments from use over a long period of time - Sarvajal was the answer to this problem.

It soon became obvious to those involved with the small project that Sarvajal had the makings of a sustainable and scalable business model, and was soon incorporated by the Piramal Foundation in July of 2008. Through a franchisee business model, the company was grown quickly to 62 franchises across the north Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujrat.