With the arrival of summer, the declining water levels have emerged as a growing concern for coastal cities. In response to the issue, the Andhra Pradesh branch of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) conducted a high-level training programme on “Aquifer Mapping 2.0” at the Andhra University on Monday. The programme focused on a modern methods to study and manage the city’s hidden underground water resources.
More than 120 students, researchers, and professors attended the programme held at the Department of Ground Water and Geophysics to learn how to ensure the city of Visakhapatnam doesn’t run dry in the future.
The training highlighted the latest studies under the National Aquifer Mapping Programme (NAQUIM 2.0) project, which looks closely at the underground water layers in the Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli urban areas.
Experts explained how understanding “aquifers” (underground layers of water-bearing rock) is the first step towards preventing water shortages.
Some scientists and professors shared simple yet effective strategies to protect water, which included rainwater harvesting. They stressed the importance of testing the quality of water to ensure it is safe for different needs. They also looked at ways to recharge groundwater, and how satellites and modern sensors are used to track water levels from space.
Experts from the CGWB Hyderabad office guided young researchers on how to build careers in water science, emphasizing that managing water is one of the most important jobs of the future.
Published – February 18, 2026 08:23 pm IST
