Those who have watched the public in facing the problems in getting drinking water in Hyderabad city and in rural areas, there is a worry in everybody’s mind what will be the future with increase in population and water needs. It is in this context Andhra Pradesh Government has taken right step in forming groundwater committees in village, district and state level.

Broadly almost all the major aspects relates to groundwater are included in the draft. As a hydrogeologist, while surveying the villages for water supply and subsequent pumpset energisation I used to feel handicapped in offering correct advice regarding the site selection of borewells and selection of correct size of pumpset for borewells and dugwells due to lack of following details.

1. Existing borewell details like depth of borewell,water bearing zones encountered, hard rock struck and saturated fractured zones.

Under chapter 8, Miscellaneous, against protection of borewells, certain suggestions are given to owner of well. In one of the suggestions, sign board is to be erected mentioning the name of driller etc. I suggest in the same sign board, the details regarding depth of borewells, rock formation etc may be mentioned, so that these details are useful for future investigations.

2. For calculating correct size of pumpset to borewells,the details regarding discharge of wells, depth to water level and drawdown data of wells season wise (at least average values of wells Located in village) may be available with village groundwater committee. This data can be provided by the groundwater department. If the pumpsets are selected based on discharge and total head, the efficiency of pumpset will be good, consumes less power and pumpset lasts long.

Pump dealers should be insisted to provide the pumpset based on discharge and total head with BIS mark.