Information on percolation pit

[vedha2704]

Hi,
In our farm, we have a percolation pit( 20 *20) adjoining the borewell, built this season. We have been pumping water into it from the channel close by. We have noticed that the water seems to be draining very quickly upto the last 2 feet (in about2 weeks) and the last 2 feet of water seems to have remained for the about 2 weeks now. I suspect some drainage in the sides and am looking for a natural solution for the same. If it was the bottom, then we were thinking of layering it with clay, but since it seems to be sides, we cannot do the same. We dont want to use plastic sheets or cement.

Can anyone suggest a possible natural solution for our problem?

Regards
Vedha

 

[shreesh]

Percolation Pit or Storage Tank?

Hi,

You call it a percolation pit and yet you seem worried that the water is percolating so fast. Why? Do you actually want to use it as a storage tank? How long do you want to store the water there?

I am not an expert but from what I have read on this topic, pits like these will not charge borewells ... they will charge open wells. Bore wells bring water from much deeper ... they need to be recharged by directing rainwater into the pipe directly. But beware ... the water quality may be compromised and may no longer remain potable.

 

[vedha2704]

Thank you for replying. The concern regarding the speed is because, we have a channel of water flowing adjacent to the property and I wasn't sure if the water was just flowing through some capillaries that might exist in the surface. In that scenario, we wouldn't have achieved the purpose of digging the pit.

I agree with you, that the pit might not serve the purpose of recharge for the bore well completely, but it might maintain the moisture level under the surface and thereby overtime, help in recharging the water table .

I have also found out that the last 2 feet of water seem to have remained due to the surface tension of the sub-surface level moisture. This apparently might reduce in the summer months.

We have no intention of using it for storage of water right now. So I think the purpose has been served.