Retrieved from: Solinst
“A severe drinking water shortage is threatening Chennai because of salt water intrusion into its water sources, warn experts. Central Chennai is the worst affected, they say and add that the content of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) is increasing. Irregulated tapping of groundwater in commercial and residential areas is why the city has lost its water sources forever, they say.
“CPR Environnmental Education Centre joint director P Sudhakar said there was a huge increase in the use of groundwater in the last two years. “As more and more multistoreyed apartment blocks have come up, we have noted a 25% increase in the use of ground water sources in the last two years.
“Central Chennai is the most critical as water consumption is increasing and the area doesn’t have any water bodies or sources to preserve groundwater,” he said.
“Salt water intrusion, experts say, occurs mainly due to the reduction of groundwater gradients. “Over-exploitation of groundwater sources allows saline water to displace fresh water from the city and region,” said a Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) official.
“Along with the massive development and the growing population, Sudhakar said the demand for groundwater had increased 100 times in the last 10 years. ”
Read more: Times of India
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