WEBINAR ON SHALLOW AQUIFER MANAGEMENT IN HYDERABAD
July 12, 2024
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Monday Motivation
Showcasing Global Innovations in Urban River Management
Welcome to Inspirational Monday, a curated series for River Cities Alliance Members that highlights exceptional examples of urban river and ecosystem management from around the world. Each story showcases innovative solutions, best practices, and transformative initiatives that address the challenges of urbanisation while restoring and protecting river ecosystems.
From community-driven restoration efforts to cutting-edge technological interventions, these examples inspire cities to rethink their relationship with rivers and embrace sustainable approaches. Explore these stories to discover actionable insights and ideas that can be adapted to your city’s unique context.
Visit this website every Monday to explore new stories around the world for urban river management.
Let’s learn, share, and work together to build resilient, river-friendly cities.
Waterbody Rejuvenation
Alwar, Rajasthan
Rani Moosi Sagar, a 200-year-old stepwell situated in Alwar, Rajasthan, is an architectural marvel and a testament to India’s traditional water conservation systems. This iconic heritage structure, once a vital community water resource, had fallen into neglect and was grappling with solid and liquid waste coming from the surrounding area. Through a meticulous and scientifically driven heritage restoration initiative, it has been revived to its original splendour. The project was undertaken as part of the Jal Jeevan Mission, with support from the Hinduja Foundation, Ashok Leyland, and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. The initiative ensured the preservation of this historical integrity while reviving its functionality as a sustainable water source. This initiative not only safeguards a cultural treasure but also highlights the importance of blending traditional wisdom with modern conservation efforts.
Riverfront Development
Shivamogga, Karnataka
The first riverfront project in Karnataka has been successfully developed along a 2.7-km stretch of the Tunga River in Shivamogga, known as the Gateway of Malnad. This revitalized area, now a vibrant tourist attraction, features a 2.63 km footpath and 2.60 km bicycle path, lush gardens, saplings of diverse species, and play areas for children. Additional amenities include an interactive fountain, outdoor gym equipment, climbing walls for adventure enthusiasts, and a multi-purpose sports complex. Developed as a flagship initiative of Shivamogga Smart City Ltd. (SSCL) at Rs 103 crore, the project includes an open-air theatre, food stalls, observation towers, and pedestrian bridges. By enhancing access and infrastructure, the riverfront has transformed into a safe, engaging, and accessible environment, discouraging anti-social activities and reconnecting locals to the Tunga River.
Drain Rejuvenation
Delhi
This project transforms former dump yards into vibrant public spaces, blending sustainability with urban design. Under the project, 3 STPs of capacity 21.5 MLD was constructed to reduce the pollution load in the drains. By intercepting sewer outfalls and using tertiary treatment and bioremediation technology, only clean water is discharged back into the drains. The project not only restores water quality but also develops recreational infrastructure with cycle tracks and walkways linked to nearby metro stations. Solar power generation offsets energy needs, promoting sustainability. Protecting existing vegetation and using sustainable materials like recycled plastic benches, it converts former dump yards into eco-friendly, flood-resilient public spaces.
Fecal Sludge Septage Management
Kumhari, Chhattisgarh
The Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) in Kumhari, Chhattisgarh, serves as an innovative example of rural-urban collaboration. Planned from the start to benefit both urban and rural populations, the plant caters not only to the town’s residents but also to six nearby Gram Panchayats (GPs), including Dhaba, Kapsada, Khapri, Murra, Pandhdevri, and Sankara. These areas lacked underground drainage systems, and prior to the plant’s construction, faecal sludge from on-site sanitation systems was disposed of unsafely in the open, posing significant health and environmental hazards. Implemented by WaterAid and the Consortium for DEWATS Dissemination (CDD) Society, the plant can treat six cubic meters of faecal sludge daily, converting it into safe, reusable products. This initiative is a significant step toward improving sanitation in areas without underground drainage, ensuring both urban and rural communities benefit from safer waste management practices. The FSTP helps mitigate public health risks while promoting sustainability in waste treatment.
Solid Waste Management
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), in collaboration with Jindal Urban Infrastructure Limited, established a Waste to Energy Recycling Plant at Kapuluppada, Visakhapatnam. This plant, which began operations on 17.08 acres of land provided by GVMC in December 2018, is designed to convert solid waste into electricity. Currently, the plant produces 9.9 MW of energy per day using the 940 tonnes of waste per day, collected from households across the city. The full capacity of the plant is 15 MW for which the plant requires 1,200 tonnes of waste daily. The energy produced at the Kapuluppada plant is integrated into the local power grid through a 4km power line established by Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL). This innovative approach to waste management not only helps in reducing solid waste in the city but also contributes to the production of renewable energy. By optimizing waste collection and increasing its input, the GVMC aims to maximize the plant’s capacity to reach its full energy generation potential.
Solid Waste Management
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), in collaboration with Jindal Urban Infrastructure Limited, established a Waste to Energy Recycling Plant at Kapuluppada, Visakhapatnam. This plant, which began operations on 17.08 acres of land provided by GVMC in December 2018, is designed to convert solid waste into electricity. Currently, the plant produces 9.9 MW of energy per day using the 940 tonnes of waste per day, collected from households across the city. The full capacity of the plant is 15 MW for which the plant requires 1,200 tonnes of waste daily. The energy produced at the Kapuluppada plant is integrated into the local power grid through a 4km power line established by Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL). This innovative approach to waste management not only helps in reducing solid waste in the city but also contributes to the production of renewable energy. By optimizing waste collection and increasing its input, the GVMC aims to maximize the plant’s capacity to reach its full energy generation potential.
River Rejuvenation
Nabaganga, Bangladesh
The Nabaganga river was difficult to access in spite of its central location which was resulting in lost connection to the River. To connect people back to the river, a community-driven project was initiated by Jhenaidah Municipality to create eco-freindly recreational spaces along the river. The project comprises two ghats – steps leading down to platforms at the river, with adjacent walkways – and the opening of obstructed pedestrian pathways leading to them. Locally available materials such as brick, stine were used in the simple, contextual designs, all built by local builders and masons; the site-specific projects retain all existing trees and vegetation. Future phases focus on public use of the river area with walkways, gardens, cultural facilities and environmental efforts to increase biodiversity in the river.
Waterbody Rejuvenation
Mysuru
The Hebbal lake in Mysuru is spread over 40 acres in the Hebbal Industrial Area, and was once known as an important source of potable water. But over a period of time, the lake lost its charm due to massive urbanization around it and the ingression of sewage from surrounding residential and industrial establishments. Infosys joined hands with the Mysore administration – Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) and Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to rejuvenate the lake and restore its past glory. The project involved desilting and beautification, including creating a walking path and planting trees around it. A STP is being constructed near the lake of 8 MLD capacity and the treated wastewater is being reused to rejuvenate the lake. Advanced membrane bio-reactor technology will be adopted in the STP to ensure that only the highest quality treated water is released into the lake.
Waterbody Rejuvenation
Shyanumangala, Karnataka
Over the past few years, the Shyanumangala Tank had been losing its charm due to encroachments and mismanagement. The rise in pollution and regular dumping of the village’s garbage threatened the survival of the tank. Recognizing the tank’s significance for the town and its nearby communities, Bosch in collaboration with local authority initiated restoration activities including key activities like construction of cattle trough outside the tank area, desilting, bund strengthening, shrub clearance, treatment along catchment area, and formation of walking paths, construction of drains, barbed wire fencing, chain link fencing and plantation among others. The rejuvenated lake will not only benefit the local population for domestic utilities but also lead to recharging of ground water table and restoring the micro environment in the surrounding areas.
Groundwater Management
California
California is using two innovative ways to hold onto more storm runoff and improve its groundwater storage. These two initiatives are; 1. Groundwater recharge basins: to capture storm runoff and “reversible pumps” to actively pump water into underground aquifers as innovative ways to store more water underground and improve its groundwater storage during heavy rain events. 2. Reversible pumps: these pumps can not only extract groundwater during droughts but also pump treated water back into the ground when there is excess storm water available.
River Rejuvenation
Bronx, New York
The Bronx has the population of 1.4 million people and total area of 57 square miles. The River is a 23 mile long river that flows through ancient chestnut forests, it was rich in biodiversity, with beavers, eels and an abundance of muscles and oysters. However as the city and population expanded, it went from being a flourishing natural resource to a contaminated conduit for industrial and residential waste and became unsafe and unusable for the community until a small group of activists decided to turn this around. Till now $30 million dollars have been invested into cleaning up the Bronx River, to bring back biodiversity and improve the lives of millions of people who live along the riverside. The initiatives includes invasive plant removal and management, native species plantings, green infrastructure maintenance for storm water management, and riparian (shores and wetland) restoration.
Lake Rejuvenation
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
The Chitlapakkam Lake was in a state of total neglect. Garbage was dumped on one side and the entire lake was filled with hyacinths due to sewage ingression. A massive #SavingChitlapakkamLake campaign was launched in 2019, where hundreds of citizens came together to clean the lake. The project began with a group of volunteers who cleaned the lake and secured permission from the Tamil Nadu government to desilt it. In June 2019, over 2,000 people came to the lake to help desilt it. The initiative caught the attention of the Tamil Nadu government, which later sanctioned Rs 25 crore for the lake restoration project. The project team adopted the DDD (Deflect, Drain, and Desilt-Deepen) principle to save the lake. The idea is to deflect sewage that contaminates the lake, drain the sewage water, and deepen the lake so it can hold flood water.
Solid Waste Management
Kolkata, West Bengal
The city authority has constructed a solid waste management museum named as ‘Zero Shop’. The space acts as a focal point for disseminating knowledge regarding waste segregation and generating awareness about the benefits of reuse & recycling amongst the citizens. Various waste products recycled/upscaled by SHG members from waste plastic (pet) bottles, e-waste, old newspapers, old tyres etc. are displayed and sold at the Zero Shop. Approximately 5670 recycled/upcycled clothes worth INR 2 lakh under the ‘Zero Shop’ brand have been sold in a year.
Groundwater Management
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles is the largest city in the state of California with a population of 3.8 million. However, since the 2000s, the people in Los Angeles have been affected by ever increasing droughts. The longest recorded drought in California lasted 6 years between December 2011 and ending March 2017. In the city of Los Angeles, groundwater represents close to one-tenth of the water supply and the majority of the city’s water supply once flowed through the Los Angeles aqueduct. Due to rapid industrialization in the last century the Los Angeles river became heavily polluted from agricultural and urban runoff, which has had a negative impact on the health of the residents and the environment. LA city have been transforming the Los Angeles river, using natural based solutions to restore the watershed, improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of people by increasing biodiversity and improving water security.
River Rejuvenation
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Originating from Tulsi Lake in Sanjay Gandhi National Park and flowing into the Gorai creek, Dahisar River spans 12 km and faces narrowing in certain sections, primarily due to encroachments.
A project was launched in October 2021, to curb pollutants in the stream through interception and treatment plants, with the funding of Rs. 281.15 cr. in consultation with The Art of Living. The project involves the construction of two sewage treatment plants, laying sewer and stormwater drain lines, building interceptors to prevent sewage discharge, and constructing access roads along the riverbanks. Approximately 717 hutments existed along Dahisar River have been relocated.
The Dahisar river rejuvenation program is a vital component of the Brihanmumbai Stormwater Disposal (Brimstowad) project, to mitigate flooding risks.
Leveraging River Economy
Tirupati
The city has leveraged on the existing reservoir i.e. Kailashgiri reservoir having an area of 12 acres to provide a 4 MW floating solar panel. Other then the economic benefits, the project has also helped the city in reducing the carbon emission.
Lake Rejuvenation
Ujjain
Rejuvenation of Rudrasagar lake. The rejuvenation envisions connecting people to the lake and maintaining hydrological balance and creating favorable environment for birds and aquatic species through sustainable development
Waste Management
New Town, Kolkata
New Town, Kolkata is working towards net zero emissions and has come up with a unique idea of “Zero Shop” where waste management meets empowerment. Under the initiative 32 underprivileged self help groups have been involved to generate financial independence through recycling solid waste.
Waste Management
Copenhagen
The waste to energy plant in the densest area of the city has been converted into a urban space. During summer months, the rooftop activity park provides visitors with hiking trails, playgrounds, fitness structures, trail running, climbing walls, and views across the city. In the winter, the park is used as a ski slopes. The project includes an urban recreation center and environmental education hub, turning social infrastructure into an architectural landmark.
Spring Rejuvenation
Uttarakhand
Spring/stream rejuvenation includes creating forest area around the river/streams, and contour trenches or small ponds, which helps in ground water recharge and contributes to the e-flow of the river/stream.
Waterbody Rejuvenation
Chennai
Chennai has the dual challenge of managing high water stress and heavy rainfall. In 2015, a 100-year rainfall event caused tragic loss of life and the destruction of property valued at $20 billion. This event spurred the creation of the Chennai Water Restoration and Resilience Framework to unify and scale the efforts of all organisations and citizens working on water body restoration, which will help to prevent future flooding and recharge aquifers.
Waste Management
Trivandrum, Varanasi
Without proper waste management, rivers and drains are used as dumping grounds deteriorating the health of the rivers. The city of Varanasi and Trivandrum have joined hands with Plastic Fischer to collect and process the plastic waste from the Varuna River and drains flowing through the city using a trash boom barrier built from local materials. Through this intervention, the cities are able to stop tons of plastic waste going directly into the river and subsequently in the oceans. This has also helped in creating awareness among the citizens on plastic waste management and creating local jobs.
Citizen Engagement
Salem, Tamil Nadu
An informal citizen group ‘Salem Citizen’s Forum (SCF)’ was formed consisting of school students, teachers, volunteers etc. to rejuvenate the lakes of the city. One of the largest lakes in the city, built by the British to irrigate nearby farmlands was taken for rejuvenation. The lake is spread across 58 acres and used to be a major water body in the city. But gradually it became a dumpsite for Salem’s municipal solid waste.
Water-sensitive Design
Kunshan, China
Kunshan City has been seeing rapid urbanization, urban development has led to big challenges including polluted rivers, an overstretched sewerage system, and a city vulnerable to heatwaves and floods.
In response, Kunshan has taken initiatives to become more water sensitive – a concept that places water at the heart of how we design urban areas, through strategies like adding wetlands into the city, or vegetation that cools concrete streets.
Riverfront Development
Surat
Surat, nestled beside the Tapi River in Gujarat, has earned the title of the cleanest city for two consecutive years in the Swachh Sarvekshan, owing to its robust waste management initiatives. Surat has taken many initiatives to manage the city’s solid waste which are 100% coverage of door-to-door collection and segregation of dry and wet waste at source. The city’s innovative practices include composting flower and wet waste, reusing treated used water, and rejuvenating water bodies, showcasing a comprehensive approach to sustainability.
Solid Waste Management
Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Devguradiya, earlier known as Indore’s dumping ground for almost 70 years. The particulate matter pollution was visibly high in the area not to forget the foul odour caused due to hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and ammonia. The trenching ground has been replaced by a city forest and the Gobar Dhan Bio CNG plant. Gobar Dhan plant set up by the Indore Municipal corporation, processes 550 tons of the 700 tons per day (TPD) of biodegradable waste in the city. The plant proposes to improve the city’s air quality by mitigating 130,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
Aquifer Recharge
Rotterdam
The Rotterdam North sub-municipality is the first to transform a ‘stony’ plaza into an attractive city plaza that offers space for water, sports and greenery. The concept of ‘water plaza’ is a innovation in order to keep dry feet in a densely populated area during heavy rains and to make the city more attractive at the same time. The water plaza holds three large rainwater collection ponds which, when the weather is dry, can be used as amphitheatres, basketball and volleyball courts, or skateboarding rinks.
Waste Management
Dhenkanal, Odisha
Dhenkanal a small township in Odisha is famous for its fairs and festivals. But lately, it has added another distinction of a city that processes 100 per cent of its solid waste. The transformation happened in 2019 when the city took it upon itself to collect, segregate and recycle all of its municipal solid waste. It also formed a plan to earn money by selling its segregated waste through material recovery centres.
Aquifer Recharge
Roseville
Roseville’s primary water source is Folsom Lake and during the last drought, the city experienced fluctuations in water supply when Folsom Lake was at its lowest level on record. To emerge from the drought-like situation, the city initiated a “groundwater program”. Through the use of Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) technology, the city is injecting and later extracting stored drinking water from the groundwater basin. This is vitally important to enhance water supply reliability, and maintain groundwater as a sustainable resource in and around the city.
Rejuvenating river
Indonesia
Citarum River is the longest and largest river in Indonesia, which flows through thousands of settlements including Indonesia’s most populous province. The Green Cross Switzerland and the Pure Earth (Blacksmith Institute) list Citarum river as one of the ten most polluted places in the world. Around 9 million people lived in close contact with the river, where levels of faecal coliform bacteria are more than 5,000 times the mandatory limits.
Water-sensitive Design
Chennai
As a step towards making Chennai water secure, the city has initiated a program Water as Leverage. Under the program, a model “City of 1000 Tanks” has been developed. It offers a holistic solution to the problems of floods, water scarcity and pollution and identifies the interrelationships between the underlying causes in Chennai. A project has been demonstrated at the Little Flower Convent in Chennai designed to create a closed-loop, nature-based water treatment system. Using nature-based solutions, the project repaired the broken infrastructure to collect rainwater and treat wastewater locally to replenish the aquifer, thus ensuring local water security and climate resilience for the Little Flower Convent, a school of 500 visually and hearing-impaired pupils.
Aquifer Recharge
Ahmedabad
As a step towards reducing urban flooding in the city, before the arrival of monsoon, the residential societies are making new KHAMBATI KUVAS (Wells) within the compound area.
It was observed that, the residential societies which made KUVAS (Wells) a few years back have lower intensity and frequency of flooding. Also, every year a decrease in TDS and improved groundwater levels is being observed in most of these societies.
Nala Restoration and Green mobility development
Hubballi Dharwad
Hubballi Dharwad has undertaken several citizen-centric projects like the development of Tolankere Lake, Mahatma Gandhi Park etc. under the Smart City project. The Green Mobility Corridor project initiated by the city with the theme of open space upgradation, Nala renovation and Green corridor development has brought accolades for the state as the project has won the first prize in the category of innovative idea award for the CITIIS project.
Sustainable recreational activity in River
Arra, Bihar
In a pioneering effort, India’s first climate-resilient floating house has been introduced. This project aims to confront the growing challenges posed by climate change and serves as an innovative response to the unpredictable weather patterns threatening food security and water scarcity. The floating house concept offers a proactive solution, undergoing rigorous testing and displaying promising results. It maintains warmth during harsh winters and showcases resilience to floodwaters, making it an ideal housing solution for flood-prone regions like Bihar.
Reducing Plastic Pollution
Amsterdam
The city is removing plastic from Amsterdam’s rivers and canals using a ‘net’ made from bubbles.
The inventors claims that the invention stops nearly 90% of plastic waste from passing downstream in the river and ultimately in the ocean.
Decentralised Wastewater Management
Chunar, Uttar Pradesh
Chunar, a small town located in the Mirzapur district located on the banks of the Ganga and Jargo river is working on managing the septage waste efficiently. Only 20% of the urban areas are connected to the sewer system and remaining is connected to the onsite sanitation system. To cater this, a 10 KLD septage treatment plant was constructed and campaigns were held to aware people on septage management. This resulted in 51% of the feacal sludge and septage management in the city as compared to 0% in 2017.
Lake Rejuvenation
Indore, Madhya Pradesh
To improve the health of the lake, floating islands and aerators have been provided in the lake. These floating islands, besides improving water quality and reducing algal blooms, are also helping in the beautification of the Lake and providing habitat to all life forms thus helping in the restoration of ecology and biodiversity in and around the lake.
Aquifer Recharge
Pune, Maharashtra
Bhujal App is the first of its kind multilingual Android app developed to track water levels in borewells. It does not require any sensors nor does it require the opening of the borewell assembly to measure the water level. The App works on sonar technology meaning vibrations need to be generated during the measurements by tapping the metal cap on the borewell with a spanner or an iron rod. It has been used in mapping groundwater levels across 300 borewells in pilot areas in Pune as part of developing the Aquifer Recharge Plan under AMRUT 2 Mission.
Waterbody Rejuvenation
Gurugram, Haryana
A small waterbody in Sikanderpur, Gurugram was getting impacted due to the solid and liquid waste being dumped in and around the waterbody.
With the support of local citizen and NGOs, the water body was rejuvenated. Native species were planted around the water body to reduce the pollution load and to provide habitat for the biodiversity.
Recreational activity along river
Cuttack, Odisha
The city has developed a Boat club along the Mahanadi River in Cuttack. The Boat Club serves as an important attraction and recreational point for city people and nearby areas. It features Water Sports activities, Boating, Sailing, Restaurants (Floating Restaurant), Food Joints, an Open Air Amphitheatre, Children’s Play Area, and a Glass Deck facing the Mahanadi River. The Boat Club serves as a good example of creating public spaces for all age type with low-impact development.
Catering Urban Flooding
China
24 provinces in China have experienced severe floods, with over 443 rivers affected. Due to unprecedented urbanization and climate change, the country is experiencing severe flooding with 67% of China’s population now living in flood-prone areas. To deal with this problem, the government came up with the idea of sponge cities, areas designed to soak up as much extra water as possible, stopping it from flooding cities and saving it for future use. Lingang, is a planned sponge park in Shanghai’s Pudong district. It features water-absorbent bricks, allowing water to drain to the soil and central reservations that are used as rain gardens
River Cleanup
Kuala Lampur
Malaysia’s Klang River is an important part of Kuala Lumpur’s epicentre, yet, it is the second largest contributor to marine plastic pollution in the world. The Alliance of River Three (ART!) was founded to help protect, conserve and rehabilitate the Klang River. It is a community created to clean up the river and improve the health of the river. The group conducts clean-up drives every weekend with a group of volunteers. During these clean-ups, trash is cleared along the river. They also build walking trails and replant soil from damaged land in the hope that one day they can rehabilitate the river into a fully operational riverine park.
Drain Rejuvenation
Delhi
Often, drains flowing through the city become the carrier of sewage resulting in increased pollution load in the rivers. Clean drains contribute to making a clean river. Delhi Govt is working towards rejuvenating its drains using nature-based solutions like constructed wetlands to reduce the pollution load in the Yamuna River. The city is also planning to use the clean water from these drains to create more water bodies to aid groundwater recharge.
Riverfront Development
Guwahati, Assam
The Brahmaputra Riverfront Development project and the Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Center, established by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority, aim to enhance the riverscape and provide recreational opportunities for visitors, thereby strengthening the connection between people and the river. The Heritage Centre is housed in a restored 170-year-old bungalow and features an art garden, an open-air amphitheatre, a café, and a riverside garden with art installations and viewing decks. The Riverfront Development project spans 6 km, and incorporates both natural and built elements, including a walkway, cycle track, jogging track, and a rejuvenated fish pond.
Lake Rejuvenation
Hosur, Tamil Nadu
Through a comprehensive rejuvenation project, the city revitalized a 9-acre lake area, in just four months. The project featured the construction of a 680 mt walk path, creation of two islands, and development of three wetlands. The area was secured with a 720 mt link fence and made accessible through the gates. To ensure clean water, three storm water inlets were integrated while diverting sewage lines. Additionally, around 500 native species were planted to enhance local biodiversity.
Reuse of Treated Wastewater
Delhi
Every year, the freshwater supply on our planet is decreasing, leading to a scarcity in different parts of the world. With India dealing with the same problem, DJB in collaboration with ‘Absolute Water’, an eco-friendly wastewater management technology provider, is converting sewage water into clean, potable water, and is trying to mitigate the problem of access to this precious resource in the water-stressed city of Delhi. In the pilot project at Keshopur, around 100 KLD of wastewater after treatment is being reused as drinking water for the DJB colony. The remaining water is also being used to clean DTC buses and meet the horticulture needs.
Lake Rejuvenation
Cuttack, Odisha
Ansupa Lake is a 231-hectare horseshoe-shaped fresh water oxbow lake on the left bank of the Mahanadi river. Over the years due to environmental degradations like closure of the inlet and outlet mechanism of flow of water, siltation, weed infestation, water quality changes and due to high eutrophic condition, the lake was slowly getting extinct. Thanks to extensive restoration efforts like Innovative approaches, including the utilization of cutting-edge tools and inclusion of communities dependable on the lake, the water spread area of the lake went up from 400 acres in 2017 to 490 in 2019. The lake had over 60 bird species including 30 migratory species visiting it. Resident birds which had abandoned the lake are now returning to Ansupa lake.
Waterbody Rejuvenation
Nizampet, Telangana
The rejuvenation efforts have successfully transformed this deteriorating lake into a flourishing ecosystem. The sewage falling into the lake was diverted to the nearby treatment systems resulting in improving the water quality. The diversity of birds has increased from 12 to 50 species, butterfly diversity has risen from 2 to 36 species. There has been a notable rise in awareness among local community members, with 276 participants engaged in 10 community programs. The perspectives of these community members have shifted positively towards valuing the revitalized lake. The sustainability of the project is ensured through the continued interest of community members and the municipal corporation.
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