Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988

Water Notes

 
Planning a town for 50,000 inhabitants implies that studies have to be made into the possibilities of water supply. Tency outlines some of the measures that need to be taken now if we are to have adequate and potable water in the future.

At present, there are some 33 deep wells operating in Auroville, but there is no overall water policy. We know that all of these wells are tapping the first aquifer below Auroville, except for one which is, at a depth of more than 250 meters, tapping the second aquifer.

As a preparation for an overall water policy, the first necessity will be to drill some 10 to 12 observation wells. An observation well is a specially drilled well which allows the water level and water quality to be checked regularly. Observation wells will enable us to draw water contour lines of the ground water and sea water levels. With this information, an overall water drilling policy for Auroville can be designed.

The system of observation wells will also enable us to be warned of salt water intrusion into the water table. This is a real danger at present. Examples of sea water intrusion are already to be found in the close vicinity of Auroville. Not so long ago, the Central Ground Water Board of India ordered a total ban on well drilling within 6 km of the coast line to prevent this.

The second necessity will be to conserve water as much as possible. It is obvious that better irrigation techniques for fruit orchards and vegetable gardens will help. Systems like low pressure sprinklers and drip irrigation are becoming increasingly cheaper, and with some effort these systems could be produced within Auroville. Rainwater should be allowed to penetrate the soil, not drain off. This implies that the bunding programmes on our lands and on neighbouring village-lands have to be maintained and extended, together with our afforestation programmes, as trees and ground cover play a big role in the absorption of water. Percolation ponds will have to be silted out from time to time so that larger amounts of rainwater can penetrate into the soil. Existing ponds, especially the system of interconnected village ponds, should be taken up in our overall water plan. Advice and financial help are needed to restore and maintain them. Mother spoke highly about this system of water storage tanks which ancient India maintained, and She even advocated it as a solution for the water scarcity. New ponds could be constructed at appropriate places. Ravine reclamation can also have great potentiality for storing water.

Finally, there are some new ways of storing and purifying water that are being tested in Auroville. Two ponds are under construction in which all household wastewater will be purified by means of water plants. The water is then reusable for gardening and industry.