High-rise boom deepens groundwater stress in Vizag
The rapid expansion of high-rise apartments and gated communities across Visakhapatnam’s northern suburbs is mounting pressure on groundwater resources, with experts warning that urban growth
The rapid expansion of high-rise apartments and gated communities across Visakhapatnam’s northern suburbs is mounting pressure on groundwater resources, with experts warning that urban growth is outpacing both natural recharge and civic infrastructure. Latest data from the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Information and Management System (APWRIMS) shows that some of the city’s fastest-growing localities continue to record the deepest groundwater levels. As on Thursday, groundwater stood at 31.69 metres below ground level (mbgl) in Arilova, 28.73 mbgl in Yendada, 27.23 mbgl in Madhurawada and 23.12 mbgl in Pedda Rushikonda. District-wide figures show Visakhapatnam (Rural) recording an average groundwater level of 20.43 mbgl, followed by Maharanipeta (9.97 mbgl), Anandapuram (9.38 mbgl), Pendurthi (8.51 mbgl), Gajuwaka (8.88 mbgl) and Visakhapatnam urban (8.79 mbgl). According to K. Pushpa Latha, the Visakhapatnam District Ground Water Officer, manual monitoring has consistently identified Yendada as the district’s most vulnerable locality.
“Our latest manual readings show that Yendada is the most critically affected area in the district. The groundwater level there has fallen to 30.37 metres (about 100 feet) below ground level,” Ms. Latha said. Although borewells of 250-270 feets are generally adequate, many builders are drilling to 400-500 feets, intensifying pressure on aquifers. “When one property drills a much deeper borewell, groundwater is diverted towards it, causing neighbouring shallow borewells to dry up much faster,” she said. Professor B. Ananda Gajapathi Raju, Head of the Department of Geophysics at Andhra University, attributed the decline primarily to rapid urbanisation. “Water consumption has increased, but groundwater recharge has not kept pace. As more land is covered with concrete, rainwater can no longer soak into the soil and instead flows away as surface runoff,” he said, adding that real estate development in rural areas was also reducing groundwater recharge by compacting the soil.
‘Water supply stable’ Despite groundwater depletion, municipal officials said the city’s drinking water supply remained stable as it depended on the Yeleru Reservoir, Godavari water, the Tatipudi Reservoir and the Raiwada Reservoir. However, D. Murali Krishna, Executive Engineer (Water Supply and UGD), GVMC, said the Yendada-Madhurawada corridor had witnessed unexpected growth, with new gated communities comprising 1,000 to 2,000 dwelling units. Water tanker demand in the city reached 400 to 500 trips a day during peak summer before falling to 300 to 400 trips after recent rainfall, Mr. Krishna told The Hindu. GVMC was already supplying about 20 MLD to the Yendada-Madhurawada corridor through the existing network. The rapid growth of large residential projects had created an immediate shortfall of about 10 MLD. To bridge the gap, GVMC has proposed a 65 MLD water supply augmentation scheme, designed to meet the projected demand for the next 25 to 30 years.
The BriefWire