Chennai has been reeling under water scarcity for the past several years, with water bodies running out of water.

It’s up to citizens to take steps to restore groundwater levels. And that’s what a group of youngsters in Chitlapakkam did.

In 2019, the youth wing of Chitlapakkam Muthulakshmi Nagar Welfare Association (CMNWA) constructed a rainwater harvesting structure.

The idea was to sufficiently recharge the groundwater tables so that the city does not run out of water in the future.

“People are eager to conserve water, but the time and effort needed to invest in the project often keep them from executing their intentions. So, we came up with the idea of collective effort, and as anticipated, it worked,” says L Sundararaman, president of the association.

Around 250 members of the association pitched money, and the entire project, including the labour cost, was completed at Rs 7,000 for a pit.

A five-foot-deep pit with a three-foot diameter was dug. Five RCC rings, each with a 2.5-foot diameter, were installed, and a lid with holes covers the pit. To prevent waste from entering the cavity, a wire mesh was placed below the lid. The entire process was completed in 3-4 hours.

After the success of the first pit, 23 more pits were constructed in the area, which has helped increase the groundwater levels while also preventing water from stagnating in the locality.

Members of Chitlapakkam Muthulakshmi Nagar Welfare Association and the residents of Chitlapakkam have shown how with collective efforts and a strong will, a crisis can be solved without intervention from the Government.

If you wish to reach the Chitlapakkam Muthulakshmi Nagar Welfare Association, you can write to them at cmwachennai64@gmail.com .