Dwelling on the causes leading to the water crisis in the country, Anand Ahuja observes that among the main causes of the water crisis in India is the continual overexploitation of groundwater resources by stakeholders. Owing to a lack of effective regulations and policies, farmers and industries have been using more groundwater than is being replenished, but there is hope nevertheless.
India is currently facing a severe water crisis which affects millions of people across the country. While the situation is so dire that several states are facing acute water scarcity, the scourge leads to a range of problems, from crop failure to water-borne diseases.
One of the main causes of the water crisis in India is the continual overexploitation of groundwater resources by stakeholders. Owing to a lack of effective regulations and policies, farmers and industries have been using more groundwater than is being replenished, leading to the depletion of aquifers.
As a result, there’s a slump in the water table, making it more difficult and expensive to extract water. In addition, the use of borewells has become widespread across India further exacerbating the problem of groundwater depletion.
Climate Change, the most formidable threat of all times, continues to wreak havoc across India; a water crisis is but inevitable. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns have led to reduced water availability, particularly in areas that are already water-stressed. Reports suggest 54 per cent of India’s total area is currently facing high to extremely high water stress, and this is expected to worsen in the coming years. The change leads to glaciers melting sending a ripple effect to the rivers in India where water levels are being compromised further reducing water availability.
The swift growth of urbanisation and industrialisation in India has also contributed to the water crisis. As cities grow and industries expand, the demand for water increases, and many of these areas are already facing water shortages. In addition, the growth of industries such as textiles, food processing, and mining has led to increased pollution of water sources, make it more difficult to access clean and safe water.
The range of effects water shortage triggers are mostly severe. One of the most immediate effects is that on agriculture, a major source of livelihood for millions of people in India. Due to water scarcity, farmers are unable to irrigate their crops, leading to lower yields and crop failure. This has a direct impact on the income of farmers, many of whom are already struggling to make ends meet.
To worsen things, the water crisis leads to a range of health problems. With many people forced to rely on contaminated water sources, the incidence of water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery has increased. This has led to a rise in the number of deaths and illnesses, particularly among children.
Water crisis also has an impact on the environment. With rivers and other water sources drying up, many aquatic species are at risk of extinction. In addition, the depletion of groundwater resources is leading to soil salinity, making it difficult for farmers to grow crops and leading to further environmental degradation.
Solutions to the water crisis
While there are myriad solutions to the water crisis in India, implementing them requires significant effort and investment. One of the most important solutions to the crisis is to increase the efficient use of water in agriculture. This can be achieved through measures such as promoting drip irrigation, reducing water-intensive crops, and using better irrigation techniques.
Another solution is to improve water management policies and regulations that include measures such as promoting rainwater harvesting, regulating the use of borewells, and increasing the efficiency of urban water supply systems. In addition, there needs to be greater emphasis on the protection of water sources, particularly rivers and lakes, through measures such as reducing pollution and preventing encroachment.
Most importantly, there has to be greater public awareness and education about the importance of water conservation which can be achieved through campaigns and initiatives aimed at promoting responsible consumption patterns.
Mumbai, India’s financial capital, for one, has been facing an acute depletion of water. The stock in the seven lakes providing water to the city is dropping drastically and Mumbai may face a severe water crisis, as usual, in the days to follow. Brihanmumbai Mahanagar Palika (BMC), the richest corporation in Asia, has no Plan B in case the monsoons are delayed this year.
The state government recently directed all municipal corporations to “manage water stocks judiciously” and “prepare a crisis plan” to meet demand till the monsoon arrives and fills the catchment areas.
As of now, the city’s seven lakes have about 3,39,258 lakh ML of water: This, while Mumbai needs 14.47 lakh million litres (ML) of water over the course of a year. The BMC supplies 3,850 million litres of water to the city every day and takes stock of available content every October 1st and then decides on water cuts.
For three weeks in April, this year, Mumbai faced a ‘15 per cent water cut’ after a tunnel got punctured in Thane. So the BMC has decided not to impose any water cuts immediately in the coming days. The civic authorities have requested the state government to allow them to draw additional water from the reserve stock of Upper Vaitarna and Bhatsa lakes.
Reportedly, owing to illegal connections and water thefts, more than 20 per cent approximately 700 million litres of water is wasted daily. To worsen the situation are the minor leaks in underground pipes and the concurrent failure in detecting them. There is a massive wastage of water owing to the leaks and pipeline bursts.
Mumbai witnessed a series of pipeline bursts in the recent past. Around three million litres of water was wasted daily due to a tunnel-work puncturing incident in Thane. Now, the BMC will focus on plugging the leakages in the pipeline to save the water from getting wasted.
Water cuts are the order of the day in Mumbai. The city faced a severe water crisis with 15%-30% water cuts in 2009. Following this, water cuts were imposed in 2014, 2015, 2020 and 2022, due to delay in monsoon or long breaks between spells of rain.
BMC sources maintain “The water stock we currently have can last till July if we use it judiciously. But, from past experiences we have observed the onset of monsoon gets delayed. So we are currently taking reviewing lakes’ levels every 15 days. We are closely monitoring the situation.”
And, though there are no immediate plans for water cuts, according to the officials, what will happen if the monsoons are delayed, is anyone’s guess.
Oddly, considering the current lake level, as has been over the last decade, the BMC should have planned for a possible crisis. While the demands of the city increase every year, the BMC should have developed additional sources of water.
Estimated to be over 22 million, Mumbai’s urban population is the largest in India in terms of population, trade activity and business. Over the last two decades, the metropolitan area has experienced an explosion in growth owing to migration from other states and migrants seeking business and employment opportunities.
Mumbai’s population has doubled since 1991 from when 9.9 million people lived in the area. The most obvious fallout of the population outburst is the pressure it has laid on the limited resources of the state that include water, health and common amenities.
The total surface area of Mumbai is 603 kilometers squared (233 square miles). The major metropolitan area has a total surface area of 4,355 kilometers squared (1,681.5 square miles).
Mumbai’s water crisis ordeal seems like the order of the day that has persisted for years on end. A solution for it will not lie in the solitary domain of the city itself but in the holistic approach to the issue of water management and control of climate change by the entire nation. It will need all that and more.
Anand Ahuja is a researcher with DraftCraft International’s The Climate Change Project that documents and analyses climate crisis and action Across India and Beyond Borders.