India's water crisis and solutions to tackle it

India's water crisis and solutions to tackle it

While there are solutions, the gravity of India’s water crisis cannot be overstated. How we move forward makes the difference between a manager and a devastating crisis. Considering the magnitude of this problem and its imminence, there is an urgent need to identify pragmatic solutions that will not only help save water, but also revitalize the distressed public distribution system for water and ensure every Indian has access to clean water.

Threats to water security in India

There are numerous studies and reports describing water scarcity in India in terms of the quantity of water available per capita, as well as the falling groundwater table. Here, are some threat to water security in India-

A growing population: It is no secret that an increasing population, a growing economy and a global focus on self-reliance has led to drastic water management practices in India.

Lack of adequate planning: As such there are a number of countries that have water security issues due to the lack of adequate planning in terms of infrastructure as well as the lack of effective management. India is one of the countries that are suffering from a lack of water security.

Crumbling infrastructure: Globally, countries are realizing the life and death importance of providing access to clean water. However, India has been a little slow when it comes to taking rapid steps towards improving its water infrastructure.

Indiscriminate drilling of borewells: Indiscriminate drilling of borewells has been found to be one of the main causes of groundwater depletion in urban areas. The indiscriminate character has resulted in both from individual selfish motives and business interests.

Large-scale consumption of water: The large-scale and unsustainable consumption of water is the greatest threat to India’s water security. India has been facing an acute crisis as far as its water security is concerned.

A false sense of entitlement in using water carelessly: Water security needs to be taken care of carefully by water managers and planners to cater for the growing future needs of all drinkable and domestic water requirements. The use of water resources is fast depleting but still, we have a false sense of entitlement when it comes to using them carelessly.

Leakage of pipes providing water, particularly in urban areas: The water losses usually occur due to leakage of pipes providing water, particularly in urban areas where internal pipeline diameter is small and the terrain is hilly or mountainous.

Poor utilization of rainwater: India receives an average rainfall of 1,170 mm per year, it is estimated that only 6% of rainwater is stored. The maximum storage has been achieved in deserts like Rajasthan where rainfall is low, while the lowest storage is in coastal areas like Andhra Pradesh, because of high rainfall that could not be stored.

Steps to be taken to solve water crisis

Educate to change consumption and lifestyles: It is time to plan for the perennial crisis of water shortages by educating the public and demonstrating how inadequate consumption patterns and mismanaged use are resulting in frequent crises.

Invent new water conservation technologies: The problem of water scarcity is increasing rapidly. The conflict over water is likely to be the next big global conflict. Hence, it is crucial that we find new and better methods to conserve water and decrease water usage.

Recycle wastewater: The government should start recycling wastewater and treating it to the best levels. The water is pure while it is in sewage, which means with proper treatment of this water, we can have good quality drinking water. It will be a better solution than looking for some more amount of groundwater or a permanent solution like desalination etc.

Improve irrigation and agricultural practices: One of the biggest steps to be taken to solve the water crisis is to improve irrigation and agricultural practices. In order to do this, farmers should be educated and trained on how to manage resources better. Irrigation systems should also be made more efficient in order to cut down on water wasted through leakage and evaporation.

Improve water catchment and harvesting: Nowadays people are struggling hard to find water and when they find some, they take up ways to store that water so that there is sufficient water for the coming days. To help people in these conditions, we are here with few simple steps which can improve your water harvesting and catchment techniques effectively.

Improve distribution infrastructure: Distribution infrastructure needs to be improved at both the supply and the point of consumption ends so as to make it more efficient. Having a better distribution infrastructure can improve efficiency by reducing transportation costs and promoting competition at all levels of the distribution chain.

Shrink corporate water footprints: One thing that hasn’t been done enough to alleviate the water crisis is making businesses accountable for their water usage. Businesses using copious amounts of water have a direct effect on the water crisis, and need to shrink that footprint by curbing water usage in business.

Address pollution: With the increasing water crisis in India, wastewater treatment has become an urgency. The government has taken a few steps in this regard but we need more efforts to tackle the growing pollution.

Climate change mitigation: Climate change is something that’s always on our mind but we never really pay attention to it unless there’s a huge natural disaster. Our water crisis is one of the main reasons, fuelling the climate change in an indirect manner. It’s time for us to take extreme measures in order to solve this issue before it becomes critical.

Population growth control: Population explosion is one of the reasons for our fast-expanding water crisis. Every year, the world population increases by 1.1% and that, in turn, depletes nature's limited water resources. Hence, it is essential to control the population so that we can save the environment and reduce water shortage issues.