Give Discover

India's water crisis: How climate change threatens water resources and future sustainability

Introduction

An analysis by the NITI Aayog states that more than 600 million people across the country are experiencing high to extreme water stress. Around 200,000 people die each year due to a lack of clean water supply.

Seasonal changes caused by climate change such as high temperatures, irregular rainfall, and frequent flooding are some factors that are worsening water shortages. In many regions, water is mainly supplied by monsoons, but the rainfall pattern has now become unpredictable with rising climate changes. This blog looks into the various dimensions of climate change's impact on the availability and quality of water in India, analyzes consequences across sectors, and discusses the significance of NGOs in addressing these effects.

Climate Change Crisis – How Rising Temperatures and Shifting Patterns Threaten India’s Vital Water Resources

Global warming has an impact on the water resources of India more explicitly, through rising temperature that hastens the melting of glaciers, irregular monsoons that affect the rainfall, and an increase in sea level that poses a threat to freshwater sources along the coast, which will endanger the water security of the country.

Rising Temperatures

Global warming has resulted in a considerable rise in temperatures over India thus affecting the hydrological cycle notably. The glaciers of the Himalayas, from where rivers like the Ganges, the Indus, and the Brahmaputra originate, are melting at an increased pace. This has led to lowered river discharges, especially in the rainy season affecting both human and livestock’s water consumption and farming activities.

  • Glacial Melt and Reduced River Flow: According to the World Bank, the flow in the Ganges basin could decrease by as much as 20% by 2050 due to glacier shrinkage, and changes in seasonality.
  • Increased Evaporation Rates: Rising temperatures also affect the rate of evaporation from surface water bodies and the soil leading to low water availability. This amplifies the water shortage during the dry seasons which are becoming more and more frequent in different parts of India.

Changing Rainfall Patterns

Now the monsoon season of India, which provides 70-80% of the annual rainfall, is also getting more and more unpredictable because of climate change. These fluctuations create major problems in water resources management.

  • Unpredictable Monsoons: According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) record, there has been a mix of an increase in extreme rainfall intensity and an extended duration of dry season in India. This variation affects normal water storage and norms of irrigating crops among communities.
  • More Frequent Droughts and Floods: Some areas experience a severe drought at the same time the other areas experience regular flooding, in the same season. These extremes not only pressure the water resources but also affect the communication infrastructure and decrease agricultural yields.

Sea Level Rise

The majority of people in India reside in the coastal regions and these regions are most threatened by rising sea levels as a result of global warming.

  • Saltwater Intrusion into Freshwater Sources: According to the National Institute of Oceanography, saline water intrusion has led to the pollution of freshwater reserves found in the coastal areas of India, especially in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. This contamination is a very serious threat to the quality of water supply for human consumption and also to crop production.

Cross-Sectoral Challenges of India’s Water Crisis

The crisis of water in India is a complex one; it impacts with varying intensity on diverse sectors. The following sections highlight the key issues encountered in drinking water, sanitation, industries, and health care.

  • Drinking Water: 163 million people in India do not have an easily accessible source of safe drinking water. Currently, groundwater is the biggest source of freshwater, accounting for 85% of drinking water in India which has either been used out in excess levels, resulting in the lowering of water tables or incidences of drinking water quality being polluted by arsenic, fluoride, and nitrates due to excessive industrialization. Urban areas are most affected; Chennai and Bengaluru are some cities struggling to access water, with the residents being forced to use expensive water tankers.
  • Sanitation: The Swachh Bharat Mission has been effective in India and the country has been close to attaining complete sanitation coverage. However, these facilities need a steady and clean water supply to operate and especially to maintain them, which is challenging. Lack of water fosters compromise of hygiene measures hence predisposing users to waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, which is an influential child mortality factor in India.
  • Industries: Industries are responsible for 12% of the country’s freshwater intake; water scarcities affect production, raise costs, and might even result in unemployment. The factories located in water-scarce areas are affected by the shutdowns at drought time.
  • Healthcare: Water plays a very critical role in the overall management of health facilities since there is a need to have water in a clean state for use in patient management, cleaning, and health procedures. However, a problem like scarcity of water hinders these needs in hospitals and compromises the patient results significantly. Not only is the interruption of water organization a health problem but it also makes the rural regions’ limited and inadequate healthcare structures worse, leading to the spread of contagious illnesses and hampering attempts to advance maternal and child health.

How NGOs Are Leading the Charge in Mitigating India's Water Crisis Amidst Climate Change

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have become more involved in dealing with the water crisis in India through restoration, conservation, and management of water resources. Some of the organizations that are active in the sector are Bhumi, WaterAid India, Splash India, and Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR).

Bhumi

Bhumi is a non-government organization based in Chennai, which has taken up causes such as cleaning and regeneration of water bodies, to spread awareness in the field of ecology, and involve the younger generation in environmentally related causes.

  • Restoration and Cleaning of Water Bodies: Bhumi mobilizes its volunteers in a social cause, in which they are involved in cleaning and developing water bodies so that water resources in such areas are made available for human consumption.
  • Environmental Awareness Programs: Bhumi has introduced initiatives for the proper use and conservation of water, the “Think Green” program, and “Eco-Champs” to raise awareness among the communities.
  • Community Involvement: The organization promotes volunteerism in society persuading the citizens to take part in the conservation of water.
  • Educational Programs: To ensure that children from the age of 5 years are aware of issues to do with water conservation, Bhumi has incorporated the aspects of water conservation in their programs.
  • Sustainable Development Goals: All the actions that are deployed at Bhumi fall in line with global sustainability goals majoring in water bodies with a view towards the realization of lasting change.

WaterAid India

WaterAid India is a non-profit organization that primarily focuses on clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and is headquartered in New Delhi. They also create awareness among the communities through imparting of water conservation methods like rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge systems essential for sustainable water supply.

  • WASH Programs: Water Aid India is an organisation that addresses the lack of proper WASH provisions in rural and urban centres providing both accessibility to WASH services and creating awareness among people.
  • Community Training: On its part, the organization sensitizes the people in the community on how to manage water; for instance, it introduces rainwater harvesting and water conservation.
  • Policy Advocacy: They engage the policymakers in their efforts to mainstream the WASH considerations in the country’s programs and resource allocation.
  • School Programs: The NGO promotes and establishes access to WASH in the schools which makes provision of clean water and teaches children on best practices to embrace.
  • Menstrual Hygiene Management: Another area by which Water Aid helps is that of menstrual taboos and ensuring proper clean water facilities and resources, and even education regarding proper hygienic practices.

Splash India

Headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, Splash India is a non-profit organization working toward clean water initiatives. Even though it is no longer in service, Splash India played a critical role in enhancing WASH status in schools. They ensured the provision of consistent and clean water through the provision of water filters and improved ablution facilities among children.

  • Water Filtration Systems: Splash India establishes commercial-grade water purification systems in schools to provide pupils with secure water.
  • Hygiene Education: Hygiene education is also offered given that the organization uses fun curriculums to teach children about the effect of washing hands.
  • Sustainable Infrastructure: Splash is involved in developing a long-term intervention approach to infrastructure particularly in storage and delivery of water.
  • Community Engagement: Independent from the government, it utilizes the local people in managing and sustaining water systems.
  • Child Hygiene Clubs: Having realized the benefits of school-based hygiene promotion, Splash India forms hygiene clubs in schools and students engage their fellow students in improved hygiene practices.

Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR)

WOTR, an organization situated in Pune, has made drastic improvements to rural communities through the strategies of watershed management. It aims at efficient water management, enhanced agricultural yield, and capabilities of communities in collective organization.

  • Watershed Management: WOTR mainly incorporates participatory watershed management for restoring degraded land and water resources, thus improving the water table levels.
  • Agriculture Support: It places it in a position to advocate for appropriate measures to enable farmers to use efficient, and sustainable agriculture methods by the usage of water.
  • Women Empowerment: Through participation in water resource management and livelihood programs, WOTR helps build skills among women and strengthens communities.
  • Climate Adaptation: The organization focuses on climate change mitigation measures and assists communities in managing the effects of climate change.
  • Research and Policy: The WOTR engages in research and takes advocacy by offering policies and techniques to enhance water use and management at the national and regional levels.

Wrapping Up

It has been established that climate change acts as a multiplier of the existing water problems affecting the future sustainability of the country. Solving this problem involves policy reform, electronic solutions as well as public awareness. However, they are an important instrument for filling gaps and initiating top-to-bottom changes, and there is a need for a more systemic and coherent approach. Therefore, as citizens, policymakers, and stakeholders, there is no better time than now to act and create a secure future in terms of the availability and sustainability of water in India. Together, India can protect its water resources and thus build a sustainable future where the needs of vulnerable communities and future generations are met equitably.