Groundwater Earth: The World before and after the Tube well

The talk by Anthony Acciavatti on the implications of groundwater extraction on global ecosystems, urban spaces, and agricultural practices, was organized at Alhamra Art Centre on 3rd November. Around 180 guests including academics, civil society, artists, environmental and water experts, attended the talk. 

Anthony began by contextualizing the critical role of groundwater in daily life, emphasizing its use for drinking, washing, and irrigation. He examined the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Sonoran Desert as significant sites of groundwater use and depletion. Tubewells and hand pumps, hailed as transformative technologies, were shown to support billions while simultaneously posing environmental risks. Anthony also highlighted how these devices reshaped spatial configurations, enabling decentralized urban and agricultural growth but exacerbating ecological challenges like subsidence and groundwater depletion.

The historical trajectory of groundwater technologies was traced, linking their evolution to colonial and military contexts. For instance, the first tubewell patent in 1865 emerged during the American Civil War, while later developments supported British colonial infrastructure. He argued that these technologies profoundly altered landscapes, turning aquifers into critical but overexploited commons.

Anthony shared the innovative mapping and visualization techniques that he started using when he was a student. He showed how he illustrates the often-invisible impacts of groundwater extraction in his exhibition work now. From handmade drawings to physical models, these methods unveiled the connections between surface transformations and subterranean dynamics. He concluded by advocating for a collective reimagining of groundwater management as a shared, rather than privatized resource, warning that without systemic changes, the world risks severe ecological and social consequences.