Back to traditional ways, residents set up open wells in city

A recent study by ‘The Rain Centre’, which initiated Rain Water Harvesting System (RWHS) in 2003, has shown that there is significant rise in the number of requests from the residents to dig open wells. Sekhar Raghavan, director of The Rain Centre and a water expert, told DTNext that they receive 7 to 10 calls a month and awareness of open wells was gradually increasing among residents. 

“It has always been our suggestion that residents should go in for open wells as the ground water level was good in many parts of the city. While ground water is available at a depth of 15 to 20 feet, in the case of borewell it is available only at 60 feet minimum,” he said and stressed that RWHS needed to be promoted in the city. The water expert also pointed out that this would be the right time for residents to set up open wells. 

The cost of digging an open well would be Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh, he added. K S Muralidharan, a resident of Lakeview Road, West Mambalam, pointed out, “Water in the open well has in the recent past reduced, to some extent, owing to depletion of groundwater table.” 

Some residents also regretted that the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), which is responsible for implementing the RWHS in the city, has failed to continuously monitor the system. 

Denying this, an official claimed, “We are in the process of setting up recharge wells in educational institutions and government offices to improve ground water level. Further, we are stressing owners of houses and other commercial establishments to install RWHS in their premises.”