Belgaum District

What determines how we use water? Is it proximity to a source or could it be economic factors? A study in Kattanbhavi, a picturesque village in Belgaum, Karnataka, which also borders Maharashtra, gives clear insights into how and why available water sources are used in a particular manner.

The bad track record of the public sector to provide water has increasingly led to private sector participation in water supply system. The proponents of privatization state that private sector would increase efficiency, bring adequate finance and help build the infrastructure that is required to run the utilities properly in an effective manner.

This power point presentation is about a project carried out by Belgaum City Corporation,  that aims to utilise ground water from open well to augment surface water supply.

This paper by the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC) examines the extent of groundwater dependency and quality status in four South Indian cities viz., Hubli, Dharwad, Belgaum and Kolar cities. Widespread water shortage problems have resulted in increased dependency on groundwater with tapping the resources to unsustainable levels. In Karnataka, out of 208 urban local bodies that come under Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, 41 depend on groundwater.

The report presents a study of the Rakaskop tank, which caters to the drinking and domestic water purposes of the Belgaum city of Karnataka. In recent past, it has been observed that the amount of water stored during the monsoon season is not sufficient for domestic purposes in the city throughout the year. The study estimates the dependable yield of the tank and also the evaporation from the tank.

In the study, the methodology developed at the National Institute of Hydrology to relate Clark model parameters to geomorphological characteristics has been used to develop unit hydrograph for two hard rock catchments, Barchi nala and Malaprabha up to Khanapur. This model has already been successfully implemented for simulation of flood events in small catchments of Upper Narmada and Kolar sub-basin of Narmada river as well as the Tapi sub-zone.

The report looks at groundwater quality and presents the results of the chemical analysis of groundwater samples from openwells & borewells of Belgaum district. The study broadly covers these aspects - (i) groundwater quality evaluation of the district (ii) identification of groundwater quality problems in various parts of district (iii) classification of groundwater, and (iv) application of DRASTIC model for assessing the vulnerability to groundwater pollution.

The study attempts to understand the status of groundwater quality in Belgaum city. In groundwater assessment studies, evaluation of the quality of groundwater is as important as the quantity because the usability of groundwater available is determined by its chemical, physical and bacteriological properties.