Open wells with rainwater-recharging pipes too are in trouble in the wake of the recent heavy rain and floods. Hundreds of such wells, which were kept ready by Kudumbashree workers and other trained technicians for rainwater harvesting, got damaged.
The participatory rainwater harvesting programme to combat the summer drought was initiated in several panchayats with the support of the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM). Owners of some polluted wells in Pantheerankavu where floodwaters made their entry for the first time said their investment had gone waste.
Each household spent around ₹8,000 for setting up rainwater harvesting facilities and connect them to the well-recharging system. The schemes of both the Kozhikode district panchayat and the city corporation were available for most beneficiaries.
Though the structures were not damaged, it will take time to drain out polluted water and make use of the harvesting method.
Those who got their open wells deepened to beat water scarcity during the last summer season too are in trouble.
Many such renovated open wells were partly covered with mud and industrial waste in Mavoor, Peruvayal and Pantheerankavu regions. Faecal contamination with the dangerous e-coli bacteria too was found high in some recent water sample tests by the Regional Analytical Lab.
The newly dug wells in some flood-hit areas in Vengeri and Kakkodi too were found filled with waste and silt.
A resident of Vengeri said repairing such wells would be possible only during the summer season. No worker will dare to take up well repair work now as possibilities were high for cave-in of soil, he added.