Recharge wells: solution to flooding and water scarcity

Can be built in days and are cost-effective compared to stormwater drains

A few streets in T. Nagar now have an alternative to mitigate waterlogging -- recharge wells. Recharge wells are small well-like structures on the roadside or part of pavements that have perforated lids to allow water percolation.

Representatives from five residents welfare associations and SWARAN (Save Water and Recharge Aquifers Network) recently submitted a proposal urging Chennai Corporation to prioritise recharge wells over stormwater drains in their areas on the lines of those in T. Nagar.

Residents of Raman Street and Lodi Khan Street in T. Nagar partnered with SWARAN to construct the recharge wells, which could potentially tackle the twin problems of water scarcity and flooding.

N. Ramshankar, SWARAN’s founder and coordinator, said recharge wells are ideal for recharging groundwater and minimising waterlogging.

“We must have more such structures along city roads and also incorporate them in the existing SWD (stormwater drain) network. Instead of draining the floodwater into the sea through SWD, the civic body must come up with an action plan to construct recharge wells and a smaller network to drain excess water if needed,” he added. Representatives of residents welfare associations in RA Puram, T. Nagar, Mylapore and Thiruvanmiyur along with SWARAN submitted a proposal spelling out design specifications and advantages of recharge wells to Corporation officials.

Pointing to the recent collapse of houses in Mylapore due to digging for an SWD work, residents said recharge wells, which can be built in a few days, would also prevent illegal sewage release and avoid damage of utility lines.

K. Viswanathan, secretary, Mylapore Welfare Association, said the SWD network was not effective in his locality.

“We have identified 100 points vulnerable to flooding and lacking an SWD network in our area. Recharge wells could be built and maintained using MLA funds or by residents welfare associations,” he suggested.

There is a need to create awareness about harnessing floodwater in public places among residents. Sekhar Raghavan, director of Rain Centre, said that a recharge well measuring 3 metres in diameter and 15 feet in depth would help save a minimum of 3,000 litres of rainwater.

“Recharge wells would be more ideal in sandy areas such as P.S.Sivaswamy Salai, Besant Nagar and Prakasam Street, T.Nagar. These cost-effective structures can be incorporated in the existing network or interconnected with wells in large premises,” he said.