Begur Vittasandra Open Well Restoration
Begur Vittasandra Open Well, locally known as Sihi Neeru Bhavi (sweet-water well), is nearly 300 years old and holds significant cultural and historical value. Once a major drinking water source, it now mainly supports domestic needs for families living around it. The well is fed by the shallow aquifer connected to Hulimavu Kere. Local residents remain emotionally connected to this well, often sharing memories of drawing water, swimming, and their sentimental bond with the site.
Despite facing acute water scarcity due to irregular Cauvery supply and the drying of several tube wells, this open well remains underutilised. The primary reasons are contamination of water and the absence of proper infrastructure to safely access it. Although groundwater still recharges the well and it has never fully dried, lack of maintenance has reduced its usability.
Communities and cattle in the area depend heavily on tanker water. This supply is inconsistent—available only two days per week—and is often unhygienic. Many low-income families are unable to afford purchasing tanker water. Restoring the well will serve as a reliable supplementary water source, increase its retention capacity, and provide the community with safer, more sustainable access to shallow aquifer water. This will also help reduce dependence on tanker water, which often carries untreated lake or borewell water and contributes to water-borne diseases. After reviving the open well, it directly benefit over 100 households, informal settlements, daily-wage earners and marginal communities living in Vittasandra.
