The Hindu 09.04.2010
Fall in groundwater table sets alarm bells ringing
G.V. Prasada Sarma
| Caused by the district recording much less than normal rainfall |
The situation becomes worse with GVMC resorting to alternate day water supply
Prospects for this May are quite worrisome
— Photo: C. V. Subrahmanyam 
bleak scenario: An egret searching for food in a water patch on the dry bed of Mudasorlova reservoir.which bears testimony to the looming drinking water crisis in Visakhapatnam.
VISAKHAPATNAM: With groundwater table falling drastically in some parts of the district as well as the city, water yields in the bore-wells have come down. Residents have to switch on the borewells at regular interval to allow recharge. The situation had become all the more worse what with the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation resorting to alternate day water supply.
The fall of levels is caused by the district recording much less than the normal rainfall this year. Against the average of 1051.84 mm, the actual rainfall received was 782.63 mm this year.
The average depth of groundwater in March in the district was 9.09 m, 1.01 m more than the 8.08 m during the corresponding period last year. The situation is the worst since in 2002 when the water table reached 10 m depth.
Deceptive picture
But the 1.01 m average fall during the current season is deceptive. Some of the areas recorded much more than the average fall reflecting the utilisation levels and poor recharge due to lack of rain. “The bore well that has been dug up to 80 ft has dried up and the water table fell to 110 ft,” says a resident of Pandurangapuram who lives in an individual house. In apartments new bore wells are being dug up to 200 ft.
In the city, the level at Shivajipalem fell by 6.54 ft, from 7.57 m to 14.11 m. In comparison, in midsummer of 2008, May, the level was a comfortable 4.37 m. Obviously, the prospects for this May are quite worrisome, unless it rains before that. In the district, Butchaiahpet mandal recorded the maximum fall of 23.7 m. “The levels depend upon rain and other factors like utilisation and the nature of the soil,” says D. Bhimasankara Rao, Deputy Director of the Groundwater Department.
In the district only 23 per cent of the available groundwater is being utilised, he says. Utilisation between 70 and 90 per cent is considered semi-critical.
In the district, it is the fluctuation of levels and not lack of groundwater, he says. The water table has gone down and once rains are received it will get recharged. So to tap the water bore wells have to be sunk deeper.
