International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA)

Pond Development for Water Conservation

From Water Harvesters

Project: Honda Seil, Kushkhera Industrial Complex, Tapukra, Alwar Rajasthan (India)
Achievement
The pond development project at the Honda car manufacturing site in Rajasthan, India, resulted in a
significant increase in infiltration of rainwater into the ground, reduction of run-off, and enhancement
of groundwater level, water quality and yield. The pond, that was successfully developed as a
unique technique for ensuring conservation of groundwater, is presently serving as a backup source
to wells and has lowered the companys (Honda) input cost tremendously.

Backdrop
India is one of the fastest developing countries in the world. The major car manufacturers of
international repute are looking towards India as a potential market. In the last few years Honda,
one of the established international car manufacturing companies, has captured a big chunk of the
retail market in India. To cope with the growing demand, Honda Siel Car India Ltd. has planned to
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set up a new car manufacturing unit on a land area of about 615 acres (2.4km ) near Tapukrah
village in Tijara block of Alwar district, Rajasthan. The cars will be manufactured under the brand
name HONDA.
The availability of water, however, has been an issue in this area. Groundwater has been the only
source of water in Tapukrah village, mainly because of the absence of any perennial surface water
streams in the area. Hence, in order to ensure successful completion of the project, it became all
the more important for the company to adopt water conservation and effective groundwater
recharge techniques through rainwater harvesting

Geophysical and Hydrogeological conditions in the Project Area

The entire project area is covered by an alluvial plain dotted with flat topped denudation hillocks
about a km or two away from project area, indicating a mature geomorphic set up. The alluvial plain
is the result of aeolian (wind) deposits in the area which are graded from coarse to medium coarse
and further finer sediments, forming good aquifers for groundwater storage. The major soil type in
the area is alluvial type of recent age, except isolated patches of litho-sols and Rego-soils around
the hillocks. The unconsolidated alluvium, constituting mainly of sand, is generally fine grained. The
alluvial sediment forms good-to-excellent aquifers, depending upon their sediment-logical
characteristics.

Objective & Methodology:

Initially, HONDA targeted 5MCM (5 million cubic meters) of rainwater to be recharged in phases
through different recharge structures placed at different strategic locations.
During a preliminary site visit, it was understood that the entire runoff was diverted to two recharge
ponds created at the plot of HONDA SIEL. The salient features, and an action plan to ensure the
optimum recharging of groundwater through these recharge ponds, are enumerated below:
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The effective holding capacity of the ponds is 21,123m & 26,093m respectively. In an initial
phase, 56 recharge wells were proposed. If designed & constructed scientifically, they would
be able to recharge the desired quantity annually.

Precise depths of recharge wells were determined during the drilling process. Considering
the lithologs collected during the drilling - and by extrapolating the lithological data and
geophysical logs - slot positions and slot lengths for recharge wells were finalized.

In addition to above, 2 piezometers wells were also constructed so as to establish the

efficacy of the artificial recharge system. Ideally, the location of piezometers was near the
pond, as this would help in monitoring both the groundwater and the impact of the recharge
wells on the groundwater.

The IRHA Newsletter bRAINstorming N 45

Specially designed recharge wells, with a provision to keep about 0.75 meters of water
column in the pond, were constructed (see photographs below).

Recharge structures inside the ponds

The bottom of the pond, around each recharge well, was unlined and about 0.50 to 1m
boulders were spread to facilitate seepage of rainfall runoff to the sub-soil.

Provision of a de-silting mechanism before runoff enters the pond was made to ensure
effective recharge. All precautions were taken to ensure that no contaminated water was
diverted to the pond.

After the construction of recharge wells, slug (or infiltration) tests were conducted at selected
locations to ensure and assess that the intake rate of the recharge wells would provide the
exact amount of rainwater recharged from the recharge bore-wells constructed.
Rain Water Harvesting System
De-Silting Chamber
Assumptions :
40mm Rainfall / hr (Max condition)
1.5 Hr Water Storage capacity
No water will go out of HSCI

Dr
ai
n
En
try
4~5m

Compacted e arth & Grass

10m

Slope 2:1

Concrete area
VI
E
W
A

Capacity of Ponds

HSCI TKR
utility

Dr
ai
n
O
utl
et

Size of Ponds
Pond 1 71 X 119 M

10m

Pond 2 71 X 147 M

9 m 48 m

Pond 1 12857 KL
Pond 2 18576 KL
96 m
Compacted earth & Grass

Slope 2:1

Plan

Recharge Bore-wells in Ponds

Recharge Bore-Well

De-silting Chamber

Rainwater harvesting system and pond development

Baldev Chugh
CEO-Water Harvesters/Water Solutions
www.waterharvesters.com
www.watersolutions.net.in