The groundwater level in Chennai has improved now, thanks to the rains
Posted on: 06/Oct/2020 9:04:52 AM
The Chennai city received 88mm of rains in September and this has raised the groundwater levels in the city now. In the 11 zones out of total 15 zones belonging to GCC, there has been marginal increase in the groundwater table.
Point is that the groundwater level has become better than when compared to August month. In the zones like Thiruvottriyur, Adyar, Alandur and Perungudi, the groundwater level has reduced.
It is shocking to note that in Thiruvottiyur zone and in the Alandur zone, the fall was higher than Adyar and Perungudi zones. The groundwater level in the Kodambakkam zone has been static.
In Tiruvottiyur and in Thiru- Vi- Ka Nagar, the water table was comparatively lower in September 2019. In Tiruvottiyur, the depletion level was 0.42m and 0,22m in Thiru- Vi- Ka Nagar. The water table has fallen by 0.18m in Tiruvottiyur in this 2020 but it has become better in Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar.
As per an official belonging to CMWD, in the last month, there has been an increase in the water table by 0.8m. The presence of sandy soils in places like Adyar, Perungudi and Sholinganallur would result in the gradual improvement in the water levels.
It is fact that in these places the ground water levels would sustain for a longer period of time than when compared to the clayey and hard rock places in Chennai. Clayey and hard rock formations are present in places like Velachery, St Thomas Mount, Madipakkam and Alandur etc.
Truth is that the groundwater would show an increase but would get depleted fast and these areas would not be able to hold water for a long time.
Now, the metro water department officials have been breathing easy with the improvement in the water levels. It was later brought out by an official that the agency has kept the agricultural wells in the Tiruvallur district, Chikkarayapuram and Erumaiyur quarries as reserves.
Soon, NE monsoon would set it and it would fill the 4 reservoirs. Important information is that if NE monsoon fills the reservoir in Mettur reservoir then Veeranam would get filled for the second time in a year.
