Brings down summer heat, raises groundwater levels

Visakhapatnam: The cyclone Roanu not only brought down the searing temperature for four days but also raised the ground water level by 1.2 metres in the district. The groundwater level on May17 was 8.97 metres and four days later on May 21 it came up to 7.57 metres, said deputy director of ground water department K S Sastry. The present average level on Wednesday remained at 7.91 metres.

Sastry said after installation of digital Piezo metres which came into use from January this year, the measurement of groundwater level became easy and more accurate. Through applications, water levels are getting updated on the mobile at deputy director office every hour.

He said the groundwater average is measured as water year beginning May 1 to June 1. The water goes down in May and shallow in November, soon after the southwest monsoons and northeast monsoons.

The levels go down from December and deep in May as there would be less rainfall during this period.

The deputy director suggested that water must be conserved and awareness created on its rational use since due to climate change, the groundwater levels could go much deeper in the ensuing years.

The per capita available water is now 1,400 cubic metre in India which makes the country water-stressed and if it falls below 1,000 cubic metre it could be categorised as water scarce.

Sastry hinted that after next 12 years, the coastal AP could face water crisis if no proper planning was put into place. The per capita water availability was 5,000 cubic metres in 1960. But as the population grew, the water resources were more exploited and becoming scarce, he added.