CASE STUDY ON RURAL WATER SUPPLY IN VILLUPURAM
INTRODUCTION
Villupuram District in Tamil Nadu is largely agricultural, with over 70% of its rural population
relying on groundwater — primarily open wells and bore wells — for both drinking and irrigation.
Many parts of the region, including blocks such as Tindivanam and Marakkanam, face seasonal
water scarcity, groundwater depletion, and salinization due to insufficient rainfall and over-
extraction. Recent hydrogeochemical studies reveal that groundwater often ranges from fresh to
brackish, and from moderately hard to very hard, with elevated levels of TDS, EC, sodium, fluoride,
chloride, and nitrate in certain areas. These factors pose significant challenges to water quality and
sustainability in the region.
1. Sources & Causes
Natural and Man-made Sources
Groundwater sources: open wells and bore wells across rural settlements.
Main supply from the Thenpennaiyar (Pennaiyar) River, via infiltration wells, gallery systems, and
borewells located ~12 km upstream of Villupuram town
Causes of Water Issues
Low rainfall and seasonal droughts, leading to groundwater depletion over several consecutive dry
years.
Poor recharge of aquifers due to reduced maintenance of traditional rainwater bodies; many lakes
and tanks degraded.
Contamination from agricultural runoff, industrial effluents, domestic waste, and small-scale
industries (noted around Tindivanam town)
Salinity and hardness increase from rock weathering interactions — particularly elevated Na ⁺, Cl ⁻
due to geochemical exchanges in soil and rock layers
2. Effects
Health and Livelihood Impacts
High TDS, hardness, fluoride, nitrates can cause gastrointestinal disorders, kidney stress, fluoride-
related ailments, and long-term health risks.
A water quality index (WQI) study in Villupuram town showed groundwater ranging from fresh to
saline, with many samples unsuitable for domestic use
Agricultural Consequences
While SAR and RSC parameters generally indicate suitability for irrigation, high local sodium
percentage in some wells classifies water as doubtful for crop use
Hardness and salinization reduce soil fertility and harm crop yields.
Infrastructure Strain
Seasonal variability causes inequitable water distribution. In Villupuram town, supply is limited to
alternate days (~54 lpcd), dropping further during summer due to reservoir depletion
3. Remedial Measures
Water Protection & Recharge
Implement Kudimaramathu, Tamil Nadu’s tank restoration scheme, which repairs and rejuvenates
village tanks and lakes to improve groundwater recharge and storage.
Construct recharge wells in central Villupuram regions where GIS mapping shows high TDS and
corrosivity zones.
Water Quality Monitoring
Distribute and train communities to use water-testing kits (e.g. Jaltara) for detecting potable water
and prompting timely action.
Low-Cost Treatment at Community & Household Level
Promote bio-sand filters, solar disinfection (SODIS), cloth filtration, and coagulants like Moringa
seeds or alum, especially where chemical contamination exists.
Target school-level interventions: installing pipelines and overhead tanks to supply safe drinking
water in affected villages.
Institutional and Community Models
Engage self-help groups (SHGs) and Panchayats in operation and maintenance. Schools form
WatSan committees to oversee hygiene and water safety.
Implement public awareness campaigns on hygiene, safe water practices, ORS usage, and sanitation
to reduce waterborne diseases
Resource Sustainability & Water Security
Rainwater harvesting & revival of water bodies via schemes like Tamil Nadu’s Kudimaramathu to
recharge groundwater and sustain river flow in dry seasons
Planned canal linkages such as connecting Cheyyar-Pennaiyar Link Canal to existing 200-year-old
Nandan Canal to boost supply to 60+ villages in Villupuram and raise agricultural-water availability
by up to 10 TMC annually.
