PANAJI: A study conducted by the Central Ground Water Board said that only 27 per cent of the total groundwater that is available is being extracted, even as it observed there are a few areas which are ‘stressed’ and are being closely monitored by the water resources department.

According to the CGWB study, the over all groundwater scenario in Goa is relatively safe, however there are a few parts which are stressed mostly in the industrial, coastal and municipal areas. The study has found 58 exploratory tube wells constructed as on March 31, 2009 in both the districts of North and South Goa.
The study has not found any critical or semi-critical areas in Goa and said the state is covered by rocks of Dharwar super group and a small patch of Deccan basalts are overlain by quaternary alluvium.  However, news reports said several springs and wells have gone dry in many parts of the state.
Groundwater occurs under unconfined and semi-confined conditions in beach sands, laterites and weathered and fractured crystalline rocks. The yield prospects of groundwater are in general more than 108 m3/hr in alluvium and less than 36 m3/hr in other formations.
The chief engineer of the water resources department, Mr S T Nadkani informed that the department is closely monitoring the scheduled areas as declared by the Goa Ground Water Regulation Act, which include industrial estates, coastal belts, and municipal areas.
The Kesarval and Uddear springs along with the wells from in and around the Verna industrial estate have been going dry for the last few years even as the people living in villages of Verna, Nagoa, Querlossim have time and again been raising the issue of industries extracting groundwater for commercial use.
Mr Nadkani said the department is closely monitoring the groundwater extraction in the Verna industrial estate and added that the department is working on special monitoring of groundwater in the state.
With regard to the water being supplied through tankers, Mr Nadkani said the state government has a regulation in place for regulating tankers who supply water as they have to take permission from the groundwater officer.
The chief engineer said to make the process fully effective the department needs to create suitable infrastructure, and once it is in place, the department will be in a better position to monitor the water tanker traffic. However, it may take a little time, he said and added that the department has started in the right earnest.
The study further pointed out that an area of 3701 sq km has been identified for artificial recharge to groundwater, while the quantity of surface water to be recharged is 529 MCM. The report also stated that the feasible artificial recharge structures are 1410 check-dams/KT weirs, 10,000 RWH in urban areas.
The study has also found water contaminants of iron (>1.0 mg/l) in North and South Goa and also found traces of nitrate in North Goa district.