In a bid to assess the groundwater potential in Chennai, Rain Centre, a city-based voluntary organisation, plans to observe open wells in different locations across the city.
The organisation has already identified nearly 120 locations to study the water fluctuations, and has invited more residents to participate in the survey. Volunteers of the Rain Centre (044-24918415/ 9677043869) will monitor the fluctuations in the water table in the open wells every month for a year.
“Groundwater fluctuations can be easily identified in shallow wells. We need 50 more wells, particularly near the Adyar and Cooum rivers for better monitoring,” said Rain Centre’s director Sekhar Raghavan.
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The organisation is also in the process of collecting information about well-diggers to encourage and assist residents to dig open wells. Mr. Raghavan said: “People recharge the shallow aquifer that is available within a few feet from the ground and not make use of the resources. Those apartments that lack space can have a well at ground level with a thick concrete lid. We also help people with desilting wells.”
In a recent survey, the Rain Centre observed that rainwater harvesting is still not popular in locations like Tiruvottiyur, Triplicane and areas where houses share a compound wall. More awareness has to be created among residents of added areas.