Groundwater is the backbone of our country’s water security. India accounts for nearly 25% of the world’s groundwater extraction, making it the largest user globally. Groundwater meets about 62% of the country’s irrigation needs, supplies around 85% of rural drinking water, and roughly 50% of urban water requirements. However, unchecked extraction has pushed the system to the brink.
More than 25 million borewells across India are overexploiting deeper aquifers, causing water tables to fall and thousands of borewells to run dry, particularly in hard-rock regions such as Karnataka. Addressing this challenge requires scalable, science-led solutions that go beyond short-term relief and deliver long-term water security.
An Intervention Rooted in Technology and Partnership
Against this backdrop, ABB India, in partnership with Third Planet Foundation, has completed a large-scale groundwater recharge initiative across 70 villages in Nelamangala taluk, Bengaluru Rural district.
Using the patented BoreCharger technology, the project has created an annual groundwater recharge of 400,000 kilolitres, delivering a remarkable 1100% improvement over natural recharge rates. The approach focused on reviving existing borewells rather than building new infrastructure. Through detailed hydrogeological assessments and borewell camera inspections, precise perforations were made in borewell casings to allow naturally filtered water from upper unconfined aquifers to recharge deeper aquifer systems, rapidly, cost-effectively and without civil construction.
What 400,000 kilolitres means on the ground
The scale of this intervention is best understood in everyday Indian terms. Four Hundred Thousand kilolitres is equivalent to 40,000 municipal water tankers, enough to form a convoy stretching nearly 400 kilometres, from Delhi to Lucknow. It matches the daily water needs of nearly eight lakh households, more than all households in a city like Pune.
In drinking water terms, it is sufficient for around 36 lakh people for an entire year. For agriculture, this recharge volume can support irrigation for hundreds of acres of paddy or more than a thousand acres of vegetable crops, strengthening both food security and rural livelihoods.
Community Impact and Long-Term Water Security
In total, 100 low-yielding or defunct borewells were revived, adding approximately 408,759 cubic metres of groundwater annually. This has improved irrigation reliability, boosted crop productivity, enhanced farmer incomes and improved drinking water quality through reduced salinity and dilution of contaminants. Rising groundwater levels have also lowered energy consumption for pumping, reduced water-related conflicts and eased migration pressures. Crucially, by improving aquifer retention in a hard-rock, arid belt where natural recharge is limited, the initiative delivers sustained water security for both domestic and agricultural use.
Speaking on the completion of the project, Dhenuka Srinivasan, AVP of Environment and Sustainability Affairs, ABB India said:
“Groundwater scarcity is one of the most pressing challenges facing rural India. Our intervention in Nelamangala demonstrates how technology-led solutions can deliver lasting impact for communities. The BoreCharger project not only improves groundwater availability but also strengthens climate resilience, agricultural productivity, and long-term water security. ABB India extends its gratitude to Third Planet Foundation for their deep technical expertise, meticulous on-ground execution, and partnership throughout the project, which played a pivotal role in delivering impact across these 70 villages. As we continue to strengthen communities through our wider engagement initiatives in education, skilling, environment, and public health, projects like this reinforce our belief that sustainable progress is possible when innovation, people and purpose come together.”
Aligned with ABB India’s Broader Community Engagement
This project reflects ABB India’s commitment to leveraging technology, partnerships and community engagement to address pressing social and environmental challenges. Water stewardship is a key pillar of ABB India’s CSR and sustainability agenda, alongside initiatives in education and skilling, clean energy access, public health and environmental restoration. Together, these efforts underscore ABB India’s commitment to responsible resource stewardship, helping build climate-resilient and self-reliant communities while creating lasting value for the society.
