Is your main source of drinking water at the edge of exhaustion?

We have always come across posters and stories about how the next world war will be fought on the issue of water. This war  was predicted to be more inclusive of countries and to be much more dangerous than the previous ones. Freshwater is a taken-for-granted resource despite an urgent need for water conservation. Although freshwater is the major source of drinking water, yet it accounts to only 3% of the Earth’s hydrosphere and is found in glaciers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, rivers, streams, wetlands and even groundwater.  

Groundwater is essentially the water present beneath Earth’s surface in soil pore spaces and is the major source for drinking water. In recent times, groundwater is more frequently extracted for irrigation and other industrial purposes.  

Groundwater Depletion - A major threat to Drinking Water 

India is a country largely dependent on agriculture. Most of the states involved in agriculture are based on the river belts of the country. Ground water still becomes a more popular source of water used in irrigation as it is cheaper, more convenient to use and less prone to pollution. According to the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), after the green revolution that took place in the 1960s, there is a major shift of dependence from surface water to ground water.  

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However, the shift in reliance towards groundwater has affected the water table and led to a decline in Indian groundwater by 61%. Groundwater is generally recharged through rainfall. But the incessant monsoon of 2019 had an adverse effect. Inspite of record-breaking rainfall this year, it was insufficient for refurbishing the groundwater table and has further led to destruction due to floods. The floods caused severe water contamination and land degradation, affecting both the natural recharge process of the groundwater table and the already conserved groundwater in wells and extraction pits.  

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Recent surveys by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and many other government or non-government bodies show that there is a significant reduction in groundwater storage. The decrease in groundwater affects not only farmers but also other parts of the country as it is a source of drinking water as well. 85% of the drinking water is sourced from the groundwater. 

Groundwater depletion can be prevented through recharge and conservation. While conservation lies in our hands, we, as individuals and communities have never taken threats about water crisis or urgent need of water conservation seriously. Today, with climate change and many other factors are highly affecting the natural balance on Mother Earth. Water crisis and ground water depletion are a serious problem and need to be dealt with urgency.