Network of sensors to monitor groundwater quality

Source: The post is based on the article “Network of sensors to monitor groundwater quality” published in The Hindu on 24th April 2023

What is the News?

The Ministry of Jal Shakti is currently working on an ambitious plan to deploy a vast network of groundwater sensors that will continuously relay information on groundwater levels and the degree of contamination down to the taluk level.

What is the method deployed currently to measure groundwater?

The Central Groundwater Board(CGWB) currently relies on a network of about 26,000 groundwater observation wells that require technicians to manually measure the state of groundwater in a region.

This information has only been measured a handful of times a year.

What is the new method CGWB is planning to implement to measure groundwater?

Under the new initiative, around 16,000 to 17,000 digital water level recorders will be connected to piezometers in the wells. Piezometers measure groundwater levels, and the recorders will transmit the information digitally.

What is the significance of this method?

This method will help in measuring groundwater quality continuously and feed it into a centralized network such as that of the National Water Informatics Centre and make it available for monitoring.

This can potentially provide groundwater forecasts to farmers that would be useful for sowing. Moreover, updated advisories can influence groundwater extraction policies by States. 

What is the National Aquifer Mapping Programme(NAQUIM)?

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What is the Groundwater condition in India?

According to the Ground Water Resource Assessment Report 2022, the total annual groundwater recharge in the country has been assessed as 437.60 billion cubic metres (BCM).

The average stage of groundwater extraction for the country as a whole works out to be about 60.08%.Anything above 70% is considered “critical”.

– Note: There are regions in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan with groundwater blocks with over 100% extraction.

Reports over the years suggest that 85% of rural India uses groundwater for drinking and domestic purposes.In cities with a population of over 10 lakh, about 40% have seen water levels in monitored wells either stay stable or drop.

Groundwater contamination is mostly “geogenic” (natural) and hasn’t significantly changed over the years.