Groundwater level goes down drastically in suburban Chennai
Posted on: 01/Apr/2019 3:15:44 PM
With the scorching summer in intense progress, the groundwater level in the Chennai Metro City and its suburbs has been rapidly going down. This has led to serious difficulties for MWSSB (Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board) to supply drinking water to the public residents in the city.
With the total failure of the last year’s monsoon season with a great shortfall of the monsoon seasonal rains, there has been an acute shortage for water throughout Tamil Nadu.
As for the Chennai Metro City, the groundwater has been going down alarmingly and drastically to a very low level. In the suburban areas such as West Mambalam, Nungambakkam, T Nagar, Royappettah, Triplicane, Ambattur, Avadi, Tambaram, Pallavaram, Madippakkam, Adambakkam, Ullagaram, and Puzhudhivakkam, the groundwater level was at 150’to 200’ last year. However, presently, this had down deep down to 400’! Especially, in the South suburban areas of Chennai, the groundwater level has gone down drastically to 700’.
As the water reservoir bases in Guindy, Alandur, Chromepet, Pallavaram, and Tambaram is rock-hard, difficulties are being faced in the distribution of drinking water to the public. Further, the waterbodies situated over the alluvial soil in central Chennai have also dried up.
Similarly, the water level in the water bodies in areas such as Valasaravakkam, Alwartirunagar, Virugambakkam, Porur, and Mylapore, the water level has gon down to very low levels! Further, as the independent house owners take up the deepening of their wells, the groundwater level is affected by the increase in salt content.
The experts in water resources shared: ‘There are more than 300 agricultural wells in the Chennai suburban areas. The water level increase here can be attributed to the lakes and ponds situated nearby. However,
Cross Bore’ motors are being used to pump additional water fom the agricultural wells. The landowners have in this business of taking water over the last 15 years. The water is being pumped out to lorry tankers with capacities of 12000, 14000, 24000, and 36000 liters. Each of these tankers makes 10-20 trips to distribute the water taken. In this way, over 11 Lakhs liters of water is being pumped out daily from the well!
A lorry tanker water cost around Rs. 100, 10 years ago. Now it costs between Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2000!
In this regard, the water-bodies in the suburban areas must be preserved. Rainwater saving is to be 100% effective, A limit should be set for pumping water from the agricultural wells. Presently, there are more than 100 water-bodies in suburban Chennai without proper maintenance. Monthly ground-water level readings have to be taken and reports should be sent to the government on a regular basis.
The High Court order that cases must be filed on water-stealing instances must be followed strictly by the officials. Further, over 100 lakes and ponds located within the Chennai Metro City and under the jurisdiction of PWD (Public Works Department) and Chennai Metro Corporation must be rendered in a safe condition and properly maintained. Only these steps can go a long way o solve the acute drinking water shortage.
