Shocking: by 2020 Chennai to run out of underground water

In what looks like a threat to Chennai residents, Chennai will be among 21 cities which will run out of groundwater by 2020. The Chennai Metrowater and Public Works Department are currently banking on desalination plants, rainwater harvesting, check dams and restoration of water bodies to ward off the impending crisis.

Niti Aayog’s Composite Water Management Index, which was released this month, highlighted that Chennai will run out of groundwater by 2020.

According to TNIE, a Metrowater official said that the pressure on groundwater resources could be reduced once the two desalination plants with a joint capacity of 550 million litres per day (MLD) start functioning.