Private wells to quench city’s thirst

With the board already having started the process to tap agricultural borewells on rent, now it is aiming at bore wells owned by individuals located in peripheral areas of the city that come under the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limits. CMWSSB sources said that the need to go for such an option was felt in order to be prepared for the additional demand from the newly-added areas in the Corporation.

Further, the present storage in the lakes could last only for a month, sources added. As the situation is becoming alarming, the board has no other option but to depend on groundwater resources in the city and its suburbs, officials said. Thought it will a couple of months before the board gets bore wells on rent, it is exploring all possible avenues to ensure supply to the city without any interruption. 

“We are planning to draw water from borewells in peripheral areas like Ambattur, Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur. We will inspect bore wells in certain locations, after which we will desilt and take samples to ensure their quality to find out if it is fit for consumption,” said a senior engineer. 

“With the monsoon turning out to be a complete flop, inadequate discharge from Kandaleru reservoir coupled with poor storage in lakes that cater to the city needs, an unprecedented situation is prevailing in Chennai. The only resort now is groundwater to meet the needs in the months to come,” cautioned another official. 

“The major sources of groundwater are the East Coast Road (South Chennai) and Ambattur (North-West). Borewells in these pockets have the potential to produce around 100 million litres per day (MLD),” he said.  Meanwhile, the Metro water board will use its own 142 borewells in the city and suburbs to their maximum level. 

However, geologists are concerned over the quality of ground water sources pointing to the rainfall data during the northeast monsoon period this year. 

“Owing to this factor, the salinity might be high in the groundwater. Similarly, springs in the borewells might have dried and even if new ones are sunk, it is unlikely that water may be available at lesser depths,” averred a city-based geologist.