Thirsty times

Many places in some talukas including Salcete and Quepem have faced water scarcity

The recent aquifer management study conducted by the Central Ground Water Board has pointed out that the tribal villages of Gaondongrim and Cotigao in Canacona taluka are experiencing severe water scarcity in the summer months, despite having 50 per cent of the land as forest area and receiving over 3,000 mm of annual rainfall. It further attributes this annual crisis to the particular area’s challenging topography. The study maintains that the groundwater sources in these villages dry up from March to May, leaving the communities struggling for basic water supply.

In August of 2022, the Goa government claimed that 100 per cent of households in the rural parts of the state have piped water connection under ‘Har Ghar Jal’ – an initiative under central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission – a claim mocked by the opposition Congress, which alleged several taps under this scheme continued to run dry. Hitting out at the state government, the then Congress MLA Sankalp Amonkar, who ironically is now with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, had said that the claim of ‘Har Ghar Jal’, “was a blatant lie”. Subsequently, many places in some talukas including Salcete and Quepem faced water scarcity and the water consumers were forced to gherao officials of the local water supply department.

The latest report about water scarcity in villages from Canacona taluka was prepared after a research team discovered that the problem lies in the geography of the area with elevation ranging from a towering 839 metres above mean sea level in the north-eastern hills to just 13.8 metres in the south-western plains, thus creating steep gradients where slopes reach between 30 to 60 degrees. “Due to geomorphological constraints, there is increased surface runoff with minimal infiltration,” the report stated, deducing that the highly permeable lateritic soil, which dominates the terrain in these villages, allows the recharged groundwater to escape rapidly as base flow, depleting the shallow aquifers during summer months.

The research monitored 30 key wells comprising 18 dug wells, five bore wells and seven springs, during both, pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. In addition, pre-monsoon water samples were collected from 52 locations, while 58 samples were collected in post-monsoon period for chemical analysis. Many wells were found to reach their base levels and completely dry up during the peak summer, especially those situated away from streams.

According to the study, an analysis of the demand and supply of water paints a stark picture with the combined population of 8,154 people in these two villages requiring 448.47 cubic metres of water daily at a standard 55 litres per capita allocation. Yet only 318.60 cubic mts of water is currently supplied from the eleven groundwater sources. This has created a deficit of 129.87 cubic mts of water every day, which intensifies during the three-month dry period.

The two villages along with the Marlim-Tirwal areas of Poinguinim have already been facing dry taps, and a new waterline has been laid last month to supply water to these places from the Gaunem Dam. With such a precarious condition of water supply on one side, and the fast depletion of natural water sources on the other, a part of Canacona taluka may suffer severe water deficiency, in the near future. The study report recommends regulating bore-well depth and spacing, protecting spring recharge zones and promoting rainwater harvesting as also artificial recharge structures. It remains to be seenhow efficient are the authorities in ensuring water to these villages, which could otherwise move under the category of ‘Water starved regions’.