Ahmedabad: The civic body is looking to the past to secure Ahmedabad’s future drinking water supply. The seven French wells were shut nine years ago after sewage inflows compromised the quality of the river water. With measures being taken to reduce sewage entering the Sabarmati, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has begun preparing a revival plan. If restored, the wells could add 170 million litres a day (MLD) to the city’s water resources.Since demolishing and rebuilding the structures would be expensive, the civic body plans to appoint a consultant to assess whether the existing wells can be repaired or whether new ones will have to be constructed.The plan is being prepared keeping Ahmedabad’s projected demand for potable water in mind. The wells are not currently needed to meet the city’s immediate requirements, as AMC receives sufficient raw water through Narmada Canal and the new gravity line. However, officials believe the wells could become important as demand rises.These wells are located near Indira Bridge, Keshavnagar, Motera, Sabarmati and Vadaj.The deterioration in water quality reportedly began during the 2017 floods in Banaskantha, when heavy rainfall upstream flooded the Sabarmati and raised bacterial levels. According to sources, sewage was being discharged illegally into the Sabarmati from the Chandrabhaga canal in the western parts of the city, as well as from Kotarpur, Nana Chiloda and nearby areas in the east.Although the wells were shut at the time, increased sewage inflow led to the closure of the seven French wells.An AMC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “The city sources raw water from the Narmada Canal, the Shedhi Branch Canal and groundwater. The water is treated before being supplied to households. The AMC currently treats around 1,600MLD at its Kotarpur, Jashpur and Raska treatment plants.”A 60 MLD sewage treatment plant has since been built at Kotarpur for Rs 103 crore to treat sewage from Kotarpur and nearby areas before it enters the river. The AMC has also implemented a bioremediation project and plugged sewage inflows from stormwater outfall lines.“The raw water quality of the Sabarmati is expected to improve. As the demand for drinking water grows, reviving the wells will become necessary. The matter is under review,” said an official, adding that the implementation process would begin shortly.
