Central government to recharge groundwater using treated water

The central government plans to recharge groundwater using treated water in a novel bid to alleviate water shortages in Tamil Nadu. If this pilot project proves to be successful, the method is likely to be replicated in other parts of the country as well. A lack of fresh water for recharging groundwater is a problem in large parts of Tamil Nadu, where saline sea water has seeped into the soil, making it infertile. According to the De­part­ment of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuve­na­tion under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the artificial recharge project is be­ing implemented in collaboration with the Netherlands. The pilot project is being implemented in the doab – the alluvial land between two converging rivers, Araniyar and Korattailaiyar in Tamil Nadu.