Chennai: Chennai’s groundwater table plunged by 0.47m in June compared to May, with 13 of 15 monitored areas recording declines, according to a Metrowater data released on Tuesday.The average depth across the 15 monitored areas fell from 5.66m in May to 6.13m in June. Only Teynampet and Valasaravakkam showed improvement, while the rest of the city saw marginal but widespread depletion.The decline also marks a sharp year-on-year fall. June’s level of 6.13m compares unfavourably with 5.65m recorded in June 2025, when scattered showers and heavy localized downpours through the month helped recharge groundwater reserves.Hydrogeologist J Saravanan said suburban residents who depend heavily on groundwater are bearing the brunt of the shortfall, with many reporting a drop in bore well yields over the past month. Ambattur, Porur, Ponmar near Medavakkam, and Chromepet are among the badly hit areas, he said.Saravanan added that the southwest monsoon typically brings showers that help sustain the water table, but the absence of rain through June and the first week of July has left the table unreplenished this year.The shortage has triggered a rush for fresh bore wells in several suburbs. I Annadurai of Thangam Bore Wells said, “My firm has received calls from residents in Chromepet, Tambaram, Pallavaram and Pozhichalur seeking new bore wells after existing ones dried up. Wells dug as deep as 300ft in these areas have gone dry, forcing residents to seek fresh excavation.”Officials and experts say the crisis is most acute in areas without access to Metrowater’s piped supply. In the city’s core areas, where bore wells are comparatively fewer and piped water is more widely available, the impact has been less severe.With the monsoon yet to deliver significant rainfall, experts warned that groundwater levels could deteriorate further in the coming weeks unless the city receives substantial showers soon.
