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Nelvoy Water Sustainability

Introduction

This project aims to develop sustainable water security solutions and climate change adaptation strategies for the Nelvoy community in nelvoy village,vellore district Tamilnadu, India By leveraging citizen science and co-creation, the project engages local stakeholders which include community members, local authorities, and academic institutions, to address water access and quality challenges. The focus is on building resilience to climate change and enhancing local water management systems through collaborative efforts, ensuring the community's long-term access to safe water resources.

Dr. Parimala presenting at the ACU-UNILAG Ilaje Water Project stakeholder meeting

Dr. ParimalaRenganayaki, Principal Investigator, Indian case study

Nelvoy Water Sustainability

About the Project

This project, conducted under the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Knowledge Exchange Programme (KEP) in the year 2024–25, focuses on co-developing sustainable and community-driven solutions to address pressing water and climate challenges in Nelvoy Village, Thallai Panchayat, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu.

The initiative aims to strengthen rural water governance, improve infrastructure planning, and empower local communities to adapt to changing climatic conditions.

Nelvoy Water Sustainability

Objectives

  1. Assess local water infrastructure and identify key climate vulnerabilities.
  2. Empower communities through participatory tools such as mapping, water quality testing, and stakeholder consultations.
  3. Co-create a climate adaptation action plan and toolkit for long-term resilience.
  4. Facilitate policy integration and community-led monitoring of water systems.
Nelvoy Water Sustainability

Methodology

Interactive Map of Nelvoy Village
Powered by: Leaflet.js / Mapbox GL JS / OpenLayers
Coordinates: 12.821392, 79.133523
📍 View on Google Maps

-Inception Meeting & Stakeholder Identification:
Initial meetings were conducted with local leaders and residents of Nelvoy Village to discuss important water-related issues. This phase also involved identifying key stakeholders for organized spatial data collection.

-Water and Soil Quality Assessment:
Water and Soil samples were collected from both households and community sources. These were analyzed using field kits and lab-based methods to evaluate parameters such as pH, hardness, nitrates, fluoride, and heavy metals, ensuring accurate assessment of water suitability and health implications.

-Community Mapping: Community members participated in community mapping activities using physical and digital maps to identify water sources, water distribution pipelines, flood-prone zones, and seasonal water vulnerabilities.

-Key Informant Engagement: Interactive interviews and group discussions were conducted with diverse stakeholders, such as farmers, panchayat representatives, Health workers, school teachers, and women’s groups, to capture in-depth insights on infrastructure gaps, coping strategies, and governance challenges.

Nelvoy Water Sustainability

Step Wise Activities

F1

Training to stakeholders on water quality testing using field kits.

F2

Field testing of water quality using kits.

F3

Training sessions on community mapping.

F4

Participation of stakeholders in community mapping activities.

F5

Community map marked by the stakeholders.

F6

Ground truth verification of the identified points.

Nelvoy Water Sustainability

Key Water Quality Issues

Hardness: Most samples were found to be in the hard to very hard category.

Manganese: Detected above acceptable levels (0.1 mg/L according to BIS 10500:2012)

Nitrate: Elevated levels (more than 45 mg/L) were observed in a few groundwater-based sources, likely associated with agricultural runoff and fertilizer use in surrounding areas.

F7 Chart

Comparison of water quality data of testing kit and laboratory methods

F8 Chart

Plot between Total Dissolved Solids vs Total Hardness

Nelvoy Water Sustainability

Recommendations & Future Actions

  • Rehabilitate Non-Functional Borewells
    Prioritize repair and maintenance of defunct government-installed bore wells to restore equitable water access and reduce over-reliance on private sources.
  • Implement Decentralized Groundwater Recharge Systems
    Construct and restore rainwater harvesting structures and percolation tanks in hydrogeologically suitable zones to enhance long-term aquifer sustainability.
  • Integrate Water Quality Monitoring in Local Governance
    Institutionalize periodic water testing using GIS-enabled tools and community participation to inform timely intervention and safe water access.
  • Build Climate-Resilient Infrastructure
    Strengthen flood management in low-lying areas through better drainage design, elevated storage, and disaster preparedness based on historical flooding data.
  • Promote Community-Led Water Governance Models
    Establish and train local water user groups to monitor infrastructure, manage conflicts, and support sustainable water resource planning collaboratively.
Nelvoy Water Sustainability

Video Gallery

Nelvoy Water Sustainability

Downloads

Guideline Toolkit

A user-friendly guide to help communities implement sustainable water management practices. 👉 [Download (PDF)]

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