About the Department

The Groundwater Department started as an independent department in the year 1978. Now it is the nodal department in the state for the development and management of ground water. The department has it’s directorate at Ambalamukku, Thiruvananthapuram.

The programs of the department are implemented through the district offices, one in each of the 14 districts. The district units are headed by District Officers in each district, and have all the infrastructure and man power needed for groundwater investigation and development. The department has a central workshop and store at kollam. The department has a water quality wing with one level II plus laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram and two level II laboratories in Eranakulam and Kozhikkode.

• Organization  chart (PDF)
  

Mission and Vision  of the department

In view of the increasing population, rapid urbanization and industrialisation the water resources available is decreasing.  The State has to ensure the availability of utilizable water resources to the maximum. Groundwater a key natural resource is a dynamic system. Its development is uneven across the state.  
The department envisages the development and utilization of the resource to be judicious, with scientific management stressing conservation aspects.

Our objectives are:-

• Assessment of the groundwater potential on a scientific basis, taking into consideration the quality of the water available and economic viability of its extraction
• Exploitation of groundwater resources to be so regulated as not to exceed the recharging possibilities, as also to ensure social equity. The detrimental environmental consequences of over- exploitation of groundwater need to be effectively prevented. Groundwater recharge projects to be   developed and implemented for improving both the quality and availability of groundwater resources.
• Integrated and coordinated development of surface water and groundwater resources and their conjunctive use to be envisaged right from the project planning stage and should form an essential part of the project implementation.
• Over –exploitation of groundwater to be avoided especially near the coast to prevent ingress of seawater into sweet water aquifers.

Our aim is to  implement in the state the plans and projects for Development of groundwater resources for domestic, irrigation and industrial needs, Conservation and recharge of groundwater resources, measures for conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water resources, monitoring of the groundwater system for its variation in quantity and quality, implanting the ground water legislation.
Resource evaluation, ground water investigation for assessing the availability of ground water and to select feasible locations for all types of wells, Drilling of wells, quality monitoring, Technical assistance to Banks for implementation of minor irrigation schemes etc, will form part of  the routine work of the department.
The department will implement   conservation and recharge schemes in a bid to ensure sustainability of the precious resource.  Groundwater Act and its implementation through a Ground Water Authority will be a major function . The department will act as the arm of the authority.
A modern database Hydrological Information System – HIS- will collect, store and disseminate hydrological data as part of a national level initiative.

Line departments, Institutions and organizations under the department

• Hydrology Wing
• Engineering Wing
• Geophysical wing
• Hydrogeology Wing
• Chemical Wing
• Information Technology Wing

Major Functions of the department

Resource evaluation, Survey and investigation, Drilling of wells, quality monitoring, development, Technical assistance to Banks, etc forms the routine work of the department. Well siting for individuals and farmers and well construction are two major items of work for which the data generated by the department is being used. A good database is set up as a part of the hydrology project.