Visakhapatnam, Sept. 7: Visakhapatnam would soon become another Chennai at the rate in which the groundwater in the district is turning salty. Residents of coastal battery near the collectorate, Kota Veedhi, the old post office and the port areas in One Town, Mulakuddu and Nagarapalem besides, parts of Thagarapuvalasa in the rural areas were in distress recently after it was found that the water they drew from their wells tasted salty. Chennai residents had experienced this over two decades ago following overdrawing of groundwater. At present, people in chennai are unable to extract freshwater from the ground and have to depend on other sources. "We were surprised to get salty water from the well in our backyard instead of freshwater as usual," said Mr Ramu, a resident of coastal battery. "We have never used municipal tap water as the water from our well always tasted good. But all that has changed now." Experts pointed out that groundwater had been overdrawn in Vizag and there was no scope for recharge. Most people have plastered their compounds with tiles or cement and this prevents rainwater from seeping into the ground and replenishing groundwater. "There is rapid depletion and deterioration in quantity and quality of groundwater," said Mr D. Bhima Sankar Rao, deputy director of the groundwater department. "Though we have not received any specific complaint about saltwater intrusion, we know that the coastal battery area is affected by this," he further added. To solve this problem, the groundwater department has been asking local bodies to insist on setting up of recharge structures during construction of commercial buildings, residential complexes and industrial houses. In most places, once saltwater intrusion takes place, it requires great efforts to bring things back to normal. "However, Vizag is lucky since it is surrounded by hills which protect groundwater," said the official. "City residents need to adopt methods of artificial recharge such as rainwater harvesting, recharge pits or recharge wells."