The Andhra Pradesh government is now monitoring groundwater levels all over the State under the ‘Real Time Groundwater Level Monitoring System’ by installing 1254 piezometers.
The piezometers record levels every hour and upload them by telemetry to the government’s website.
The piezometers were installed in January and by rectifying whatever problems are there, the system is now in place.
Maintaining the levels at 8 m during pre-monsoon and above 3 m post-monsoon is considered a benchmark following a study carried out by a foreign university, says Mr. Sastry.
If the water goes down below 8 m, the capacity of the motor has to be increased resulting in more spending and finally telling on the extent of area irrigated. Once the level is below 8 m, it goes beyond the centrifugal levels.
Keeping the study in view 8 meters is now taken as a benchmark.
