Mains Marathon

Approach

• Begin with a brief overview of the urban freshwater crisis in India.
• Evaluate the urban dimension of the freshwater crisis in India.
• Discuss the key factors that are amplifying water stress in Indian cities.
• Conclude with a way forward.

Introduction 

India's urban freshwater crisis is not merely a consequence of natural water scarcity but a reflection of poor urban planning and institutional inefficiencies. According to NITI Aayog’s Composite Water Management Index (2018), nearly 21 Indian cities are likely to run out of groundwater by 2030, affecting over 100 million people. With an increasing urban population, freshwater demand is surging, but availability is rapidly declining, leading to seasonal shortages and socio-economic tensions.

Body

Urban Dimension of the Freshwater Crisis

• India’s urban centers are facing a triple-edged problem: rising demand, shrinking supply, and ineffective governance.
• While India receives 4% of global freshwater, it supports nearly 17% of the global population.
• Urbanization, without parallel water planning, has rendered Indian cities vulnerable to chronic water stress.
• Urban centers contribute over 60% of GDP, yet suffer from irregular water supply, over-dependence on groundwater, and minimal rainwater harvesting.
  • For instance, Bengaluru, one of India’s fastest-growing cities, extracts more groundwater than it recharges, threatening long-term water sustainability.
  • Chennai experienced a “Day Zero” in 2019 when its major reservoirs dried up, leaving over 10 million people without piped water supply.

Key Catalysts of the Crisis

• Unplanned Urbanization
  • Rapid and often haphazard urban growth has overwhelmed existing water infrastructure.
  • Encroachment on recharge zones and floodplains has reduced groundwater percolation.
  • Unregulated borewells and tanker dependency deplete aquifers.
  • Urban heat island effect increases water demand.
  • Example: Gurgaon’s urban expansion has reduced green spaces, raising dependency on overdrawn groundwater.
• Loss of Traditional Water Bodies
  • Urban growth has often come at the expense of lakes, ponds, and wetlands that acted as natural storage and recharge systems.
  • Landfilling and real estate development have erased local reservoirs.
  • Encroachments lead to poor recharge and increased flooding.
  • Example: Bengaluru has lost nearly 79% of its lakes since 1970 (IISc report), drastically reducing its water storage capacity.
• Misgovernance and Institutional Fragmentation
  • Governance failure is a core issue.
  • Fragmented institutions with overlapping roles delay water project execution.
  • Inefficient pricing, poor metering, and high NRW (non-revenue water) reduce efficiency.
  • Water supply is often politically manipulated rather than managed rationally.
  • Example: Mumbai has 27% NRW loss due to leakage and theft, causing huge inefficiencies.

Consequences of the Crisis

• Inequitable access to water — slums and marginalized groups bear the brunt.
• Rise of private tankers and water mafias.
• Health issues due to poor sanitation and contaminated sources.
• Social unrest, as seen in the Chennai Day Zero crisis (2019).

Policy Measures and Government Interventions

• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT): Focus on water supply and sewage.
• Jal Jeevan Mission – Urban: Ensure universal household tap connections.
• Smart Cities Mission: Includes water body restoration.
• Use of IoT for smart water metering in some pilot cities.

Conclusion:

The urban water crisis is more a reflection of poor planning and governance than absolute scarcity. In the words of environmentalist Sunita Narain, “We are not in a water crisis because of lack of water, but because of our mismanagement of it.” A holistic water governance model involving decentralized rainwater harvesting, protection of urban wetlands, rational pricing, and empowered urban local bodies is essential.