Hydro-geologist warns of borewell failures, advocates for sustainable water management

Hydro-geologist Devaraja Reddy NJ highlighted the alarming failure rate of borewells, noting that 80% fail due to unscientific methods in selecting drilling points. He explained that while a rule once limited borewell depth to 25 metres, borewells are now being drilled as deep as 600 metres (approximately 2000 feet), leading to significant failures. Reddy was speaking at the Jalapatha symposium, organized by the Bengaluru Jalamandali Abhiyantarara Sangha to raise awareness about water conservation and management . 

Also Read: Bengaluru: Declining groundwater level has resulted in a daily deficit of 100 to 150 MLD of water from borewells

During his talk, he stressed the need for sustainable water management practices, such as rainwater harvesting and recharging existing borewells, to reduce the dependence on new borewells. He emphasized that India receives 1.12 lakh crore cubic metres of water. However, not enough of this rainfall is being reused effectively. In cities like Bengaluru, with annual rainfall exceeding 900 mm, recharging borewells and implementing  rainwater harvesting can significantly improve water availability. 

Reddy, who has drilled 25,000 borewells in his career,  now advocates for replenishing the water extracted. He also pointed out that 80% of India’s aquifers are depleted, with the remaining 20% located in areas with minimal human activity. As a solution, he suggested Karnataka consider desalination projects, similar to Chennai’s desalination plant, to address water shortages, noting that 25% of Chennai’s water comes from desalination.