3.1. Water Scarcity and the Need for Conservation and Management

Given the abundance and renewability of water, it is difficult to imagine that we may suffer from water scarcity. The moment we speak of water shortages, we immediately associate it with regions having low rainfall or those that are drought prone. We instantaneously visualize the deserts of Rajasthan and women balancing many ‘matkas’ (earthen pots) used for collecting and storing water and travelling long distances to get water. True, the availability of water resources varies over space and time, mainly due to the variations in seasonal and annual precipitation, but water scarcity in most cases is caused by over-exploitation, excessive use, and unequal access to water among different social groups.

Water shortages are often linked to geography, like deserts or areas with low rainfall. However, significant issues also arise from how water is used. Over-exploitation happens when too much water is drawn from rivers, aquifers, or other sources, surpassing the natural replenishment rate. Unequal access means that some communities or social groups have more resources and opportunities to secure water, while others struggle.

Imagine a classroom with 20 students sharing only 1 bottle of water. If some students take more than their share while others don’t get any, it leads to conflicts and thirst, mirroring how water access creates scarcity in real-life communities.

A large population requires more water not only for domestic use but also to produce more food. Hence, to facilitate higher food-grain production, water resources are being over-exploited to expand irrigated areas for dry-season agriculture. Irrigated agriculture is the largest consumer of water. Now it is needed to revolutionize agriculture through developing drought-resistant crops and dry farming techniques.

As the global population increases, so does the demand for water. More people need water for their homes and food production, which leads to the need for more irrigated land. Irrigation, used to help crops grow, consumes the vast majority of the freshwater supply. If we don’t adapt our approaches to agriculture, including developing crops that need less water, we risk exacerbating water scarcity.

Just like a family that grows and starts using more food might have to change their shopping habits, farmers must change how they grow crops as their needs change—using less water and finding sustainable practices to garden in order to survive.

Post-independent India witnessed intensive industrialization and urbanization, creating vast opportunities for us. Today, large industrial houses are as commonplace as the industrial units of many MNCs (Multinational Corporations). The ever-increasing number of industries has made matters worse by exerting pressure on existing freshwater resources. Industries, apart from being heavy users of water, also require power to run them.

As cities grow and industries expand, the pressure on local water resources increases. Industries often require large amounts of water for production and contribute to the pollution of waterways. The significant demand for water in urban settings leads to resource depletion, affecting both the environment and local communities.

Imagine a sponge (the city) that absorbs water (the resources) rapidly but then gets filled. If too much water is taken from the sponge without replacement, it quickly dries up. Urban areas act the same way when they take more water than can be replenished.

You may have already realized that the need of the hour is to conserve and manage our water resources, to safeguard ourselves from health hazards, to ensure food security, continuation of our livelihoods and productive activities and also to prevent degradation of our natural ecosystems.

Water conservation is crucial for maintaining health, food security, and the environment. By managing how we use water and implementing conservation practices, we can ensure that clean water remains available for future generations while also protecting our natural habitats.

Think of a bank account where the money represents water. If you spend money carelessly, you will eventually run out. However, if you budget wisely and save, you will have enough for future needs, illustrating how we should treat our water resources.

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