Recharge wells dot city’s lung spaces to catch monsoon rains

Just when the city thought the summer woes were over, it is getting ready for another battle — monsoon rains.

But it seems the civic authorities have at least made some preparations to harvest the rainwater that almost always drains into oblivion.

Specifically, they have set up rainwater harvesting wells in the biggest lung spaces of Lalbagh and Cubbon Park. Thanks to the previous week’s rains, the wells are all brimming.

"Nearly 50 per cent of the 250 wells in Lalbagh are full,” Jagadeesha M, Joint Director of Horticulture Department at Lalbagh, told DH. Park officials believe it will percolate large volumes of rainwater with three to four spells of moderate to heavy rains this month.

Jagadeesha said the wells’ positive impact will soon reflect in the significantly improved groundwater table. Besides, the newly built 34-feet traditional open well inside the park — in partnership with Friends of Lakes, India Cares Foundation and DCB Bank — has also been filling, he added.

Ram Prasad, founder of Friends of Lakes, told DH that 74 recharge wells dug in Cubbon Park since 2017 have been protecting livelihoods of traditional well-diggers, besides improving groundwater levels.

“Traditional well-diggers, also known as 'mannu vaddars' from the Bhovi community, got back to their livelihoods when we started this movement in Cubbon Park,” Prasad said. “Our aim was to strictly go 20 feet deeper with each recharge well to ensure the effectiveness of water percolation.”

He said water was found within a depth of 10 or 12 feet within the park. Prasad also suggested leaving a 30- to 40-feet gap between the wells and “catchment areas” to ensure rainwater drains into the wells.

Outside the parks, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has finished building 986 recharge wells across the city.