Water Worries of Kaspada – Resolution
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Kaspada village from Vikramgad region, is known to have scarcity of water due to its geological conditions i.e. rocky terrain and bed of rocks in majority of terrain around. Though there is water available in river for around 3 months of monsoon, their primary source of potable water remains wells made by government.
There are three usable wells in village. Generally, these wells start getting dried-up around Feb/Mar every year. With this trend, in the past, local government had to provide village potable water with the help of tankers every 2 days till it rains and wells get recharged during the month of June or July. Until then, people even have to walk down 2km to nearby village for drinking water during peak summers – at times, which also becomes issue of conflict between two villages.
We spoke to villagers for possible intervention on this. Options were:
- Build a pond – there are no open/ available places in which we can make man-made ponds for the village.
- De-silt the river which in-turn can increase storage and recharge wells – This was a feasible option and we had done it 4 years ago, doing it on year-on-year basis was not cost effective.
- Dig-up a well – This was the only option left which possibly can maintain water for longer period during summer time.
We reviewed existing wells in the village and observation was, it tends to get dried up in the summer is because of the water levels in the ground. Most of the wells were 20-25 feet deep only. At this level, the water source was predominantly percolated ground water – and not underground natural streams. Last few months Feb – April) there may be stagnant water in the well (without any fresh source of underground stream) becomes smelly and cannot imagine to be used as drinking water. Villagers end up compromising and end-up using that.
Challenges we had in front of us:
- Identifying a legally right place – close to village houses and also private land (majority of the land there is a forest land on which we cannot build well or do any construction)
- Identifying technically right place – likely place which may get underground water streams in the rock-beds below 20-25ft
- Getting it done before rain starts – else entire project may get stuck until January next year
- What is required to dig 40-ft especially in the rocky terrain? Know-how and possible machinery was not available
- Funding for this unconventional/ difficult construction of well (typical cost is between Rs 3-4 Lakhs) and this may need upwards of Rs 5-6 Lakhs.
We moved around in the area with elders from the village to identify the place. As per them and few experts, we realized that there are places in the area which has possibility of reaching out to underground water streams if we go deeper i.e. around 40 feet. One of the places was finalized from short-listed 3 places by the us. Approvals were taken from gram-panchayat. Indicative quotation was taken from multiple vendors as there was a need of large excavators (such as poclain) and blasting process to reach 40-ft deep. We approached probable sponsors and Inner wheel Club of Bombay Bayview agreed to sponsor major cost of the same. This well would help roughly 180+ families in a normal scenario – adding up to roughly 600-650 people in Kaspada. And, depending upon status of water in the wells of the region nearby, it may even help more than 250+ families (if there is sufficient water in new well).
Final decision was taken to build 40-ft deep and 18-19 ft diameter with stone walls to have possible percolation from ground level water streams.
Post reviewing the situation in mid of April, we were already late in starting the work. Finalizing the place, vendor, availability of labour and to actually start the work took almost 20 days. We received the support from Rotary Club of Bombay Bayview on this project. We started 15-May-2023. With all the challenges in-between, we finished the work by June-end and formally inaugurated on pre-decided date of 01-Jul-2023. Though it was raining heavily that weekend, villagers working on the well could finish it and our sponsors could also enthusiastically visit to inaugurate it.
Post rain season, we would like to further give little more finish to the well by adding small cement tank which cattle can use for drinking water. Summers are very tough for cattle and hence such pond would be useful. Villagers, when they fetch their own water from well, can pour one bucket of water in the tank so that cattle can drink water anytime.
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