Editorial: Looming threat

Use of technologies to monitor water availability in borewells could be the first step to manage aquifers responsibly

Groundwater in India is getting depleted at unsustainable rates. The enveloping crisis, with serious implications for public health and economy, needs urgent attention. In fact, India is the world’s largest user of groundwater, exceeding the combined consumption of the United States and China. Around 90% of groundwater withdrawal is used for agriculture as surface water sources are insufficient. Some areas in the Indo-Gangetic basin have already passed the groundwater depletion tipping point, according to a latest report by the United Nations. It has warned that 27 of the 31 aquifers in the country are depleting faster than they can be replenished. The alarm bells have been ringing for at least a decade but over-exploitation of groundwater has not engaged the attention of the policy makers as much as it should do. Another report by the Central Ground Water Board says that nearly 70% of the water used in the country is from groundwater sources. Environmental tipping points are critical thresholds beyond which ecosystems experience abrupt and often irreversible changes. The entire north-western region of the country is predicted to experience critically low groundwater availability by 2025. Experts have warned that the rate of groundwater depletion in India could triple by 2080 if farmers continue to draw it at the current rate. The augmentation of watersheds that can store more ground water for agricultural use and other purposes and strict enforcement of pollution control measures are the two key areas that require urgent attention. There is also a need for rapid adoption of technologies that help conserve, treat and reuse water.

Though water conservation legislations exist in majority of the States, poor data management and failure to properly price water have prevented the country from making any significant progress. The existing water data is largely unreliable due to the use of outdated collection techniques and methodologies. Uncontrolled exploitation and wastage of water resources must be stopped and technologies like drip and sprinkler irrigation must be encouraged. Water-guzzling paddy and wheat crops are the main contributors to severe groundwater depletion, and there are limits to which irrigation efficiency can address the situation. Water-guzzling crops are simply unsustainable in the long run. Ignoring or resisting change is self-defeating. Another alarming revelation is the detection of arsenic and fluoride in groundwater beyond the permissible limits for human consumption in various States. The contamination of groundwater needs to be dealt with urgently. Since borewells are covered structures, people don’t realise the gravity of the crisis till it is too late. The use of technologies that allow people to monitor the water available in their borewells could be the first step to nudge them to manage aquifers responsibly. Using historical data on groundwater levels and climate, researchers have found that farmers have adapted to warming temperatures by intensifying groundwater withdrawals, substantially accelerating groundwater depletion rates in India.