Vision

Sustainable ground water utilisation through
• Conservation of Groundwater
• Regulation & Control of its extraction and use
• Watershed based Groundwater Management to support water security and sustainable Groundwater utilization

Mission

• Conservation, Management, Recharge and Optimal Utilisation of ground water resources through convergence of resources of Local Self Government and other Departments.
• Implementation of Kerala Groundwater (Control & Regulation Act), 2002
• Implementation of CGWA/SGWA Guidelines based on Environmental Protection Act, 1986
• Implementation of Honourable Supreme Court Guidelines in WP(c) 36/2009 dated 6th August 2010
• Implementation of Groundwater based Mini Water Supply Schemes in non-covered/partially covered areas
• Groundwater Investigation and Development for effective groundwater resource assessment and management

 

Ground Water Department has specialised officers under five Branches for carrying out the different activities of the department

Branch I:-Hydrogeology
Branch II:-Engineering
Branch III :- Geophysics
Branch IV:- Hydrochemistry
Branch V:-Hydrology

In addition to this there is a Finance wing headed by Senior Finance Officer and an Administrative wing headed by Administrative Officer for dealing the financial and administrative matters of the department.

The major activities of the department are as follows

Main activities

  • Groundwater investigation by hydrogeological, remote sensing and geophysical methods to select the suitable sites for well construction for domestic, irrigation, Mini Water Supply Schemes, industrial and infrastructure projects.
  • Construction of groundwater abstraction structures like Tube well, Bore well and Filter point well
  • Pumping test / yield test of wells, Logging, Developing and Flushing of wells.
  • Site selection and implementation of artificial groundwater recharge structures
  • Implementation of groundwater based drinking water schemes
  • Implementation of hand pump schemes
  • Renovation of groundwater based drinking water schemes
  • Conducting hydrogeological studies for environmental clearance to quarries under DEAC
  • Conducting mass awareness programmes emphasizing the need of groundwater conservation and management
  • Groundwater Resource Estimation of the state.
  • Groundwater quality testing and monitoring.
  • Providing training to the Scientific, Technical and Administrative personnel of the Department.
  • Providing scientific and technical support to three tier panchayats, government, quasi government and other organizations for the site selection and implementation of groundwater based drinking water schemes.
  • Implementation of groundwater based drinking water schemes sanctioned by District Collector under MPLAD, MLASDF, ARWSS, DRW, SC Corpus fund etc.
  • Preparation of monthly Groundwater Drought Index
  • Rapid risk assessment for Kerala State Disaster Management Authority
  • Preparation and publication of Groundwater information booklets, reports and yearbooks etc.
  • Technical guidance for Haritha Keralam Mission activities

 

Enforcement of activities under Kerala Ground Water (Control and Regulation) Act 2002

    • Registration of pumping wells.
    • Issue of permits for the construction of groundwater abstraction structures in notified area
    • Issue of conversion permits in notified area.
    • Granting No Objection Certificate to industrial and infrastructure projects using ground water as raw material.
    • Addressing complaints of over exploitation of ground water.
    • Addressing different types of disputes of ground water use.
    • Registration of drilling rigs and firms / agencies engaged in the business of construction of bore wells, tube wells and filter point wells.

 

National Hydrology Project

    • Monitoring water level and water quality of the observation wells and piezometers across the state and estimation of water level fluctuation in the state.
    • Implementation of Real Time Water level  Data Acquisition System (Telemetry)
    • Developing water budgeting system.
    • Purpose Driven Studies – Hydrogeology, Geophysics and Hydrochemistry.
    • Mapping and data collection of groundwater abstraction structures – Well census