Salinity of water causes alarm

By SNV Sudhir
Visakhapatnam, Mar 29: In no time city would turn another Chennai if immediate remedial steps are not taken with the reports of salt-water intrusion into the groundwater coming in from some parts of the city and rural belt. Recently the residents of coastal battery, near collectorate, Kota Veedhi, the Old Post Office and Port areas in I town. Mulakuddu and Nagarapalem, besides, parts of Thagarapuvalasa in the rural areas were surprised to taste water of saline nature instead of fresh groundwater. Chennai is known for its saltwater intrusion two decades ago. The Chennai people have gone in for much groundwater pumping and did not follow the artificial recharge to groundwater. This caused the city a major damage. The people there are now not getting freshwater from the ground. “We were surprised to get saltwater from our well in our backyard instead of freshwater. We never used municipal tap water as our well water tasted good. It was never like this before” said Ramu a resident of coastal battery. Experts pointed out that the saltwater intrusion was due to excess pumping of groundwater and no scope for recharge of the groundwater. Urbanisation has given people a modern outlook in every aspect, including their homes. And there is no space to recharge the groundwater in the houses with every household plastering its compounds in tiles or cement. In advancing places like Vizag, it is natural the water demands remain on the rise and the growing urban populace affects availability of water and depletion in its quality. When freshwater is withdrawn at a faster rate than it can be replenished, a water table draw down sets in with a resulting decrease in the overall hydrostatic pressure. And when this happens near an ocean shoreline, the saltwater from the sea intrudes into the freshwater aquifer. The result is that freshwater supply continues getting saltwater contaminated. “Reckless extraction and overexploitation of very small quantities of groundwater causes a rapid depletion and deterioration in its quantity and quality. Though we have not received any specific complaint about the saltwater intrusion but the coastal battery area is affected with this,” said Ground Water Department deputy director, D Bhima Sankar Rao. Groundwater usage in the district, and in the City, is 34 per cent on the whole. So there is an urgent need to take steps to recharge the groundwater to avoid the impending threat of saltwater intrusion spreading to other areas, he added. The Ground Water Department has been suggesting the local bodies to insist on setting up of recharge structures during constructions of commercial buildings, residential complexes and industrial houses. Once saltwater intrusion takes place, one cannot replace the eventuality. It will persist forever. “One way Visakhapatnam is fortunate due to the hills surrounding the city. These hills protect groundwater. The City residents need to adopt artificial recharge. Awareness of this is essential, and rainwater harvesting needs be followed,” said the senior official. Groundwater can be recharged with rooftop rainwater or even storm run off harvesting through a recharge pit, a recharge trench, tube well and recharge well.