Water is the essence of life because it is essential for all living beings and the planet’s ecosystems. But, in the last few decades, we have seen riots, violent clashes and hundreds of people jostling, armed with water pipes and buckets around one water tanker. It was Bangalore this year, nearing Day Zero of water, compared to Johannesburg which has no water. Chennai and Ranchi had riots. Delhi, Mumbai and at least 24 cities are listed as having water stress. States fight relentlessly for water – the Cauvery water dispute and the Bhakra canal are well known. Bangladesh and India have a long dispute over Ganga River water. Pakistan complains about India for not honouring the Indus water treaty. India takes up the issue of Brahmaputra River water with China. At least 9 countries in the Middle East/ Europe have serious problems over river water.

3.5 million people die in the world due to water shortage, poor hygiene and poor sanitation. The earth has plenty of water but only 3% is fresh. Most of the freshwater is frozen at the poles and above mountains. Just 0.3% is available for humans, animals, agriculture and industries. 80% of this water is used in agriculture.

India has 18% of the world’s population but only 4% of the world’s water. 141 million people crammed in a land mass 1/3rd of the US. Agriculture in India uses 90% of the water because of our antiquated irrigation practices. In the last few decades, we have started to empty our groundwater resources too. Our groundwater usage is 25% of the overground water, the highest in the world. Even more than countries located in the world’s deserts. This is thanks to free/ subsidised electricity to farmers and no laws to regulate pumping of underground water.

Water Scarcity

Water scarcity is a term which compares the availability (or lack thereof) of water across countries. In simple terms, it is the ratio of a country’s water demand to its water availability. If the per capita water made available is less than 1700 cubic metres per year, the term water stress is used.

Water scarcity or stress may occur periodically – for short or long durations. For example – failure of monsoons in a particular year. Or much less fresh water available in a city/ state/ country, round the year, every year. A list of water-stressed countries shows Pakistan at number 2, Afghanistan at number 3, Nepal at number 8 and India at number 13. The situation will be much worse by 2030. As per our own NITI Ayog, 600 million Indians face extreme water stress today. By 2030, our demand of availability of water will double.

Reasons for Water Scarcity

The per capita water availability in India has decreased by 75% since independence in 1947. In 2021, the per capita availability of water in India was 1486 cubic metres. Another cause of worry is that our water bodies are becoming highly polluted. The causes are manifold, as under:

1. Changing Agriculture Practices.  The Green Revolution resulted in ending food scarcity. However many observers feel that we changed our cropping pattern to grow water guzzling variety of rice in traditionally non-rice growing areas. Also, due to the perpetual shortage of sugar in the 1960s, the government encouraged farmers to grow more sugarcane – another crop which needed much more water. We became one of the largest exporters of rice and sugar. Surplus sugarcane juice has been allowed to be converted into ethanol for mixing with petrol – use in vehicles. Experts comment that we are ‘exporting our water’. 

• Secondly, we use much more water than most countries located in deserts by traditional irrigation methods. We have not adopted drip or sprinkler methods; because of that, we waste a lot of water.

• Thirdly, our livestock and older animals (including stray animals) need large quantities of water. One cubic metre of water is used for 0.3 litres of milk produced in India which is 3 times the international average.

2. Climate Change. The changes noticed in the last two decades indicate that monsoons are getting delayed. Rainfall is erratic, i.e. numerous rain-free days followed by torrential rains spread over just one or two days. Cloudbursts and cyclones are becoming more common. It also causes flooding, loss of soil and polluted rainwater from human dwellings and farms entering water bodies. Most of this type of rainwater just flows to oceans.

3. Increasing Population, Rapid Urban Migration and Industrialisation. These result not only in the use of more water but also discharge of highly polluted water. Often, much of such water does not reach our water bodies. The much-hyped rainwater harvesting is mostly on paper.

4. Excessive Ground Water Extraction. It is not only occurring in the farms but large-scale extraction is going on in big hotels, marriage palaces and mushrooming road-side dhabas. Golf courses are expected to use secondary water but many continue to extract under- ground water.

5. Degradation of Water Bodies. Most of our rivers have become highly polluted. Half of them flow only during the rainy season or when snow melts. Dry river beds have rampant sand mining and stone crushing for construction activities, further changing their ecosystems. Fish and other marine life is in danger of extinction.

6. Traditional Village Ponds and Step Wells. Most of these water bodies are dying a slow painful death. Inflow of detergent-rich effluents from human dwellings is just one reason. Garbage dumping is another. Washing grease and oil-laden vehicles make a thin film on top of the water, sealing gas flow, leading to the death of marine life when this water flows into water masses.

7. Inequality in Access. Despite best government’s efforts, 173 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. Some live in remote areas, others very poor. As brought out above, the use of water for paid eating facilities, event celebrations, entertainment and sports activities keeps rising. Also, free piped water to certain categories in certain areas has resulted in overflowing overhead tanks/ missing taps causing wastage.

8. Radioactive materials. 14 Indian states have been found to have high levels of uranium in their wells. 30% of the wells in Punjab and 14% in Haryana were most affected. Several wells in these places led to their closure.

Impact of Water Shortage

Water shortage affects all aspects of the planet’s humans, animals and plant lives. Dehydrated and dead trees abound in areas of water scarcity. Let’s see in brief:

• Human health and epidemics. This will be discussed at length next week.

• Environment. The concentration of pollutants in water and soil. Loss of ground foliage, especially plants and shrubs which grow wild.

• Agriculture. Loss of crops leads to lower output of food and dairy products.

• Shutting down of water-intensive industries and slowdown of others due to worker absenteeism.

• Children’s education, especially girls, suffers as many are deputed to help mothers bring water from distant sources, often standing in lines for long periods.

• Violent incidences and riots are sometimes reported. These will increase as the shortage increases.

• Others. Forest fires and bird and insect deaths are seen by us in the prolonged dry season. But the death of a large number of smaller animals, insects and other species go undetected. The entire ecosystem of the region comes under threat. Drying of lakes, ponds and rivers is devastating to their ecosystem.

• Radioactive, nuclear materials. These are becoming a cause in certain countries. Apart from naturally occurring uranium, its mining or incidental finds during drilling for oil have been the cause of concern. Radioactive materials from hospitals as well as nuclear power stations may cause serious diseases like leukaemia, genetic defects, skin radiation injuries and others.

Water scarcity is scaring some of us. It causes epidemics and many diseases in not only humans but in all living beings. Next week, we discuss in detail the diseases which occur in humans due to water shortage, and measures which can be taken to postpone the doomsday of zero water.

Title image courtesy: Sweco

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of India and Defence Research and Studies