Sat Nov 22 01:33:00 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) plans to expand and digitize its groundwater monitoring system in Tamil Nadu, India, over the next two years. This initiative aims to address the over-exploitation of groundwater in the state, where nearly three-fourths of the yearly extractable groundwater is already being used. Currently, 395 out of 1,202 assessment units are identified as over-exploited. The CGWB has already installed sensors in 1,000 monitoring wells and plans to add sensors to 1,500 more. A stakeholders’ meeting was held to discuss open access to groundwater data and its use in regulatory and recharge plans.

News Article:

Tamil Nadu to Overhaul Groundwater Monitoring Amid Over-Exploitation Concerns

CHENNAI, India – November 22, 2025 – The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is set to revolutionize its groundwater monitoring system in Tamil Nadu, deploying advanced sensor technology and digitizing data collection over the next two years. This move comes as the state grapples with the over-exploitation of its groundwater resources, with a concerning 73.5% of yearly extractable water already in use.

The CGWB identified 395 out of 1,202 assessment units in the state as over-exploited zones in 2024-25, including areas in Chennai, Vellore, Salem and several other cities. To combat this, the board aims to provide real-time data and better inform management strategies.

“We get six-hourly groundwater data from 1,000 wells now, and our plan is to add sensors in 1,500 more monitoring wells,” said M. Sivakumar, Regional Director of CGWB, south eastern coastal region.

A stakeholders’ meeting was held in Chennai on Friday to discuss the data and how it can inform groundwater regulatory and recharge plans, with government agencies, organizations and private sector companies represented. Officials emphasized the importance of accessible data, with groundwater data available on the data portal.

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