Several areas in the city have good groundwater level: Survey

MADURAI: A survey has revealed that areas like Surya Nagar, Alagar Kovil Road and Iyer Bungalow have the best groundwater levels in the city, with water available at a depth of around 100 feet.
The survey, carried out by volunteers of a social enterprise named Rainstock, recorded the groundwater and salinity of water here. It revealed that several areas in the city have good groundwater levels, especially compared to places like Kochadai (average level- 202 feet), Vilangudi (213 ft) and Anuppanadi (200 ft).
K Shaktivel, founder of Rainstock, said, “During the survey, we realised that areas like Surya Nagar, Alagar Kovil Road and Iyer Bungalow have better groundwater levels as there are lesser houses and groundwater has not yet been exploited. This is not the case in some other places in the city limits, where it has gone beyond 600 feet.”
As far as salinity of the water is concerned, many areas were revealed to have high content of TDS (total dissolved solids). The data for the average TDS points out that Iravathanallur (973) and Vilangudi (987) have high amount of saline content in their water supply. In some areas like Pudur, the salinity content was above 1000. Sakthivel thinks that non-availability of drains, which was open in many places with the sewage seeping into the soil, has resulted in high TDS.
“In areas like Pudurm 60% of people do not use water from borewells, and depend on corporation water. Water from borewells is not potable, so people prefer corporation water which is less saline and thus poses less health hazards,” Saktivel added.
The volunteers suggested implementing rainwater harvesting and construction of proper septic tanks to curb the water problems in the city. Rainwater harvesting has already been implemented in areas like Gomathipuram, Surveyor Colony, Thirunagar and Palanganatham with the help of volunteers of Rainstock. According to Shaktivel, this method can improve the level and quality of groundwater.