Belgaum City Corporation has tried out an innovative method to augment the availability of water, and has succeeded in reviving open wells to supplement formal water supply. The revival of wells has led to better supply of drinking water and recharging of groundwater.




Belgaum, one of the oldest, most prominent and historic towns in northwest Karnataka, is the headquarters of Belgaum district. Belgaum had a population of 399,600 (Census 2001). The city is well-connected by road via National Highway 4, now part of the Golden Quadrilateral. It is on the main Indian railways grid, and is part of Hubli Division
Before the commencement of Rakaskop Water Supply Scheme in 1964, Belgaum city was dependent on open wells. The wells have an average diameter of 30'–35’ with an average water column of 60'–70’, even during summer. These wells were abandoned after the introduction of tap water. However, in 1995, the reservoir that supplied water to the city dried up due to variations in the monsoon.

Until 1995, the Rakaskop reservoir was the only source of potable water for Belgaum city. Wells and open wells were misused as garbage dumping sites, or for religious rituals like Ganesh immersion. Because of their misuse, many of the wells were covered with concrete slabs and people had forgotten about their existence. In 1995, with the delayed monsoons, the reservoir dried up, creating a water crisis in Belgaum city.

At this juncture, the Belgaum City Corporation (BCC), after studying the viability of revival of the open wells, initiated the process of utilisation of groundwater from open wells to augment surface water supply. In the process, it also protected the water-table and environment.
As there was an acute shortage of water, alternative sources of water were explored to deal with the water crisis. Consultations with senior citizens on the alternative sources of water were initiated, and old high-yielding wells were identified. A survey by the Geological Department was conducted. Based on the survey, it was realised that Belgaum has an aquifer beneath the laterite stones, and that most of the old wells are situated there.

An expert committee from the Department of Geology, Goa University, studied the viability of revival of open wells by observing the yield, recuperation rate, groundwater level, quality of water etc., and gave an encouraging report. Subsequently, 15 high-yield open wells were identified within the corporation limits. Identified wells were cleaned up, de-silted and de-watered with the involvement of local people, NGOs, social workers and citizen clubs.

Mini filters with an average design capacity of 50,000 l/hr along with an alum dozer, chlorinator, and pumps, were fixed to the wells. The quality of water was tested and supplied to citizens through the existing distribution network. Each open well has an average yield of 4 lakh liters of water per day.

The cost of the project worked out to Rs. 5,00,000 per well. The operating cost of each plant with 50,000 LPH filtration capacity and 8 hours pumping was around Rs. 307 per day. The details are given in the table:

Expenditure per Well (in Rs.)

Expenditure Area	Cost per Day
Electricity	152
Chemicals	55
Labor	100
Total	307

Cost of production of water under the open-well filtration scheme is Rs. 0.76 per kilolitre, which is much lesser than the production cost of surface water at Rs. 8.30 per kilolitre, and cost of tanker supply at Rs. 100 per kilolitre.
The BCC revived 15 open wells, and is now able to cater to the needs of 1,50,000 residents in the city. The revival of open wells has done away with the need for drilling borewells and engaging private tankers to meet the demand for water, thereby achieving significant savings for the corporation. Regular usage of wells has helped in recharging water levels. Further, sites of the open wells were transformed to public parks, which also contributed to high customer satisfaction.
The treated open-well water is being supplied through the existing distribution system. Cost recovery is done through regular water charges, making the programme sustainable. This scheme can be implemented in places where there are aquifers and where the level of the water-table is adequate. As the execution and operation & maintenance cost of the well-revival scheme is lesser compared to other options, this project is viable.

For further details, contact:

Commissioner
City Corporation of Belgaum
Risaldar Galli
Belgaum Karnataka