Racing against monsoon: BWSSB eyes completion of 2,000 recharge wells for rainwater

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has fixed a target to dig 2,000 recharge pits in the city to ensure monsoon rains are utilised to improve groundwater, and to replenish dried up lakes and borewells.

The water board has already dug up nearly 1,000 recharge wells, deploying eight to 10 labourers across 16 divisions to dig up recharge wells, an executive engineer said.

“We have done rigorous work at the divisional level on digging recharge wells in the past month. So far, we have completed digging about 986 recharge wells,” the executive engineer revealed.

Recent months have seen a surge in public concern regarding water conservation, particularly in residents’ growing interest in adopting rainwater harvesting systems for their homes.

This trend is mirrored in the flourishing business of local well-diggers, who are witnessing a notable increase in enquiries and requests for their services.

Vishwanath Srikantaiah, also known as zenrainman, said the concept of digging recharge wells was initially aimed to offer employment to skilled diggers.

He expressed concern that mechanising or automating this process could shift it towards a profit-driven, capitalistic approach.

“Digging recharge wells will give income to traditional well-diggers or those who have the skill of well-digging.

“It is not very labour-intensive. A team of three or four diggers can dig one recharge well in two days,” he said.

The BWSSB currently digs recharge wells to a depth of 10 to 14 meters. However, for optimal results and improved water absorption, experts like Vishwanath recommend a greater depth of 20 to 25 meters.

Vishwanath cautioned that recharging wells alone cannot solve Bengaluru’s water crisis. He estimates the city needs at least 10 lakh recharge wells to be water-sufficient in the next two to three years.

BWSSB chairman Ramprasath Manohar V recently announced plans to approve 74 proposals for community rainwater harvesting projects, which, he recently told a press conference, would begin the moment funds become available.

What is a recharge well?

A recharge well is a pit, ideally 20-25 meters deep, used to improve groundwater levels by helping percolate rainwater.