How technology can help save India’s groundwater

Context

Technology-guided decision-making would help distinguish groundwater abuse and promote efficient use.

Background

Groundwater in India:

Groundwater is the water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock.
It is stored in and moves slowly through geologic formations of soil, sand and rocks called aquifers.
India is the world’s largest user of groundwater.
Tube wells, bore wells, springs and open-dug wells remain the primary source of groundwater production and abuse in India.

Use of technology

Integration of technology, ecology and livelihood is critical to the overall sustainability of groundwater.
Technology can help in ‘decision-making’ on economic and social priorities related to groundwater use.
Automated decision-making is one aspect that needs to be adopted as an integral part of groundwater extraction.
We need to enable technologies to simulate appropriate human responses.
Adopting artificial intelligence (AI) will help make decisions and visualise emerging scenarios for pro-active governance.
For instance, smart sensors in different appliances and Internet of Things shall enable visibility of data of consequence.

There are many ancient techniques few are as given:

Bamboo drip irrigation system – this method bamboo is used to transport water from a source to the field the bamboo pipes of varying diameter to control the flow by changing pipe positions.
Johads– A small mud barrier dug into the ground for storing rainwater
Stepwell – They are well in which water is stored deep into the ground the water is reached by descending a set of steps (bawdi).
Sand Bores – Water is extracted from sand particles. the sand acts as a good water filter by retaining salt content & releasing water.
Virdas – They are shallow wells dug at a low elevation that store water that seeps down the soil.
Zing – They are tanks that are used to collect and store water obtained from melting glaciers this stored water can be used in their seasons.
Taanka – It is a cylindrical underground pit that is used to store rainwater.
Kata – They are built across streams and store a large amount of water, the collected water sinks into the ground and raises the water level of nearby ponds.
Kuls – Kuls are artificial ridges that are used to transport water from a glacier it is tapped to a circular water tank.
Ahar pynes – The ahar is a basin embanked on three sides they are filled with water by pynes which transport the water from a river. Used mainly for agriculture.