Awareness about recharge wells is sinking in, but not at a desired rate. According to The Rain Centre, the concept has huge potential and much of it remains untapped. We will begin to make capital use of it once we realise that it takes a two-pronged approach, one that goes beyond immediate benefits.
Shekar Raghavan, director of The Rain Centre, hits the nail on the head when he says: “We must fight flooding but at the same time, we must also try to conserve rainwater, which recharge wells can do easily,” he says.
A floodwater drainage that clears stagnant water from our streets and addresses the larger issue of water scarcity — isn’t that more than what we wanted?
Meet two needs with one deed
From the urban-planning perspective, recharge wells can provide a cost-effective alternative to stormwater drains, says Ram Shankar of Save Water And Recharge Aquifers Network (SWARAN). Coastal areas have sandy soil that have a higher capacity for percolation. There, recharge wells can be installed to facilitate the natural process, thereby obviating the need for an SWD network.
The Rain Centre has installed recharge wells with impressive results in coastal areas such as Besant Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur and Valmiki Nagar, on behalf of their residents.
Less space, low cost
Recharge wells help us skirt around practical problems. One is space. As they don’t take up too much space, they can be constructed in places where land is scarce, especially narrow roads. According to the rule book, two recharge wells should be spaced 30 feet apart. However, the rule is not set in stone, and the wells can be dug up in spaces prone to water stagnation. The wells typically have a diameter of 3 feet and are 15 feet deep and can receive up to 3,000 litres of water. In houses and apartment complexes, 4’x15’ feet wells can be dug and they are capable of collecting up to 5,000 litres, says Ram Shankar. The approximate cost of a recharge well is ₹20,000 and can be sunk in one or two days.
Low maintenance
Recharge wells are also maintenance. Unlike stormwater drain systems, which have to be continually desilted, recharge wells come with concrete rings that prevent sewage from entering in, and are protected by perforated lids.
