HYDERABAD: How deep inside the earth can one go in order to ensure availability of groundwater? In Hyderabad, people are digging bore wells that go more than half kilometer into our planet to suck up groundwater. A simple Google search will land you with contacts of various city-based bore well drilling service providers, who claim they have required machines that can dig to depths of 2,000 feet(600 metres), that too of 6.5 inch diameter.
Not just this, some service providers also claim that in some parts of the city one has to go as deep as 1,800-2,000 feet for getting groundwater. Website of one such service provider claims, “Most of the areas in twin cities are in need of higher depth bore wells to get good quality of drinking water with our bore well drillers.”(sic) There are about 150 drilling machines in the city for sinking bore wells.
The Water Land and Trees Act (WALTA) clearly states that bore wells cannot be dug beyond a maximum depth of 120 metres (394 feet). Also, groundwater officers, who issue permission to dig bore wells, claimed they do not usually suggest depth of more than 100 feet. However, people violate the law and go to any depths.
People spend as much as `4-5 lakh on digging bore wells that reach depths of 1,600-2,000 feet. But experts say this is just a waste of money because in most places in the city, groundwater is not available at such depths.
“This is due to the non-porous hard rock terrain underneath the land,”says TS Groundwater Department Director Dr Pandith Madhnure.