water crisis descriptive essay

Water Shortage’ Major Causes and Implication Cause and Effect Essay

Introduction.

It’s no doubt that the world is facing a topic of water crisis which has gone out of control and therefore raising a lot of concerns from the leaders and international organization who are trying to come up with ideas of solving this problem (Oxfam.org.uk, 2011).

However, the root cause of this problem is upon the human race that is entirely to blame for the ever increasing water crisis due poor and undeveloped policies governing protection of such water one of the most precious natural resource. In this regard the following discussion will elaborate on the major causes and implication of water shortage in the planet today.

First, both industrial and domestic water pollution is one of the major causes of water shortage because as more water is polluted the more water is wasted (Oxfam.org.uk, 2011).

Due to lack of proper technology available for recycling and purifying such polluted water in many countries across the world, issues of water pollution have become so prevalent and therefore contributing to high percentage of water wastage.

Secondly, water shortage has also been attributed to the high population growth causing a serious competition for this resource (Jones, 2010). The world population is increasing at an alarming rate and consequently straining the supply of this natural resource and hence resulting to severe scarcity of such water due to it’s over use.

Additionally, poor management of the water catchment areas is also another cause of water shortage (Oxfam.org.uk, 2011).

Majorly, when water catchment areas are destroyed through deforestation among many other ways, water is also likely to decrease due to destruction rocks and water table hence resulting to low water generation from the surface of earth (Oxfam.org.uk, 2011).

On the other hand, due to the fact that water has become a scarce resource, consequently this has possible implications to the humanity and animal kingdom as well.

To the humanity, one of the major implications is that, water scarcity may possibly cause a disagreement of ideas in the planet due to conflict of interest among different countries who would want to have the natural resource for them selves.

Additionally, issues of water shortage may also probably cause division of classes when people will want to own water privately and this will create a class of water have and have-nots (Jones, 2010).

Summary of the article

This article is a discussion regarding one major problem that is an issue of concern in the 21 st century which according to the author, the world is currently facing a major crisis- the scarcity of water one of the most useful natural resource.

The argument is that, in the 20 th century the world was having a crisis in dealing with issues such as political ideologies among others, but now the current crisis is much worse and it might be one the major causes of conflict in the planet today (Jones, 2010).

The author describes the intensity to how much water as natural resource has become so scarce especially the fresh water which is essential for domestic consumption, in fact, the most shocking news is that, according to author’s report, fresh water currently contributes only about “2.5 percent of the planet’s entire water supply” and therefore, such supply of water can not meet the actual demand for water worldwide since the world’s population is also increasing at an alarming rate and consequently causing an increasing in water demand at least by double the original water necessity (Jones, 2010).

For this reason, then it is reasonably clear that the current trends of this particular natural resource can not sustain the world population; meaning that those sectors that fully depend on water such as agriculture and manufacturing industries may also not be able to function fully (Jones, 2010).

As a result of all these issues, then the ever rising water shortage crisis might be a cause of conflict in the world due to the competition for the natural resource that will also rise.

For this particular concern, there is a clear warning to the humanity that, this is a “real danger” because people will clash to own any drop of fresh water and then there will be “water have and water have not” categories of people (Jones, 2010).

Additionally, the article describes water shortage as a “genuine problem” that the world leaders need to address in order to establish a long lasting solution to safeguard the future (Jones, 2010).

The opinion is that, the leaders should put laws which are necessary in governing proper and at the same time, people should try to reduce cases of water pollution in order to facilitate recycling process.

Clear examples and factors arising due to fear of water scarcity

Water crisis is a global issue although it is more pronounced in some countries than others. For instance, a good example is river Nile which is one of the biggest rivers and a major source of water for various uses in North Africa region.

However, river Nile is also a source of worry to the current international relations due to the rising water competition amongst three African countries namely; Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia (Egypt. com, 2007).

There is a crisis in this part of the world where there is a lot of politics on which country should rightfully tap out water (Egypt. com, 2007).

Egypt being a country with powerful military power is more likely to initiate military action in order to ensure she has control over the use of this water for its domestic use and for agricultural production as well, besides, Sudan and Ethiopia also claims that, they have the exclusive rights to use this water which Egypt argues that, the use of water by these other two countries might starve them (Egypt. com, 2007).

Besides, Lake Victoria in East Africa is also another geographical region where conflict over water is an issue already raising concern.

Due to the fact that, the lake lies along the boarder lines of three countries, namely; Kenya, Ugunda and Tanzania, this is enough reason to have a water crisis in this region (Kamugisha, 2007).

For instance, the many activities takes place at this lake including economical activities such as fishing among others is the major cause of catastrophe over the volume of water which is reportedly decreasing with each day.

There is a conflict over ownership of the lake due to the economical benefits which the three countries are generating from this lake causing some of the countries to extend their boundaries in order to have a bigger share of the lake which has already triggered a major conflict (Kamugisha, 2007).

It is no doubt that, these two cases reflect a rising conflict in Africa which happens to be one of the most affected regions in the world. The conflicts are on the rise as a result of competition for the natural resource which is becoming a scarce every day.

The world is currently facing much worse crisis in the 21 st century than previously when the world leaders were only having crisis over political ideologies and so on (Jones, 2010).

Currently, this is an issue that should be addressed with a lot of concern putting into consideration that, this particular issue of water scarcity might be the next cause of major conflict in the planet especially also considering that this particular natural resource is diminishing at a frightening rate.

In this regard, the humanity has a duty to safeguard their future in order to ensure it’s survival which can not be achieved without a drop of fresh water.

World leader, scientific researchers , international organization among many others, all have a major rule in enlightening the society about the need to protect and take care of this precious commodity in order to ensure sustainability for many years to come because water is an essential component that the whole animal kingdom rely on for life sustenance (Sipes, 2010).

Therefore appropriate and necessary actions should be implemented to curb the issue of water scarcity. Such measures would include; proper management of water catchment areas, reduce cases of water pollution, plant more tree around the globe, and establish policies such as water act which has already been implemented in US to reduce water wastage (Sipes, 2010).

Among many other measures, the solution to water scarcity is achievable if we fully get committed to the set polices in order to provide a long lasting solution one for all.

Egypt (2007). Egypt News – Water crisis hits Egypt “Country of Nile River” . Web.

Jones, D. (2010). Water: The cause of the next global conflict? Web.

Kamugisha, D. (2007). Lake Victoria Extinction and Human Vulnerability in Uganda . Web.

Oxfam (2011). Water for all . Web.

Sipes, J. (2010). Sustainable Solutions for Water Resources . New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons Press.

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Residents queue to fill water bottles at a natural water spring in Cape Town, South Africa, a city that may soon have to shut off its taps due to a severe water shortage.

From Not Enough to Too Much, the World’s Water Crisis Explained

Many more cities than Cape Town face an uncertain future over water. But there are emerging solutions.

“Day Zero,” when at least a million homes in the city of Cape Town, South Africa, will no longer have any running water , was originally scheduled for April. It was recently moved to July . The three-year long drought hasn’t ended, but severe water rationing—limiting people to a mere 13 gallons (50 litres) per person per day—has made a difference. (To put this into perspective, an average U.S. citizen uses 100 gallons (375 liters) per day .)

“No person in Cape Town should be flushing potable water down a toilet any more.… No one should be showering more than twice a week now,” said Helen Zille , the premier of the Western Cape province, where Cape Town is located.

Like many places in the world, Cape Town and the surrounding region has likely reached “peak water,” or the limit of how much water can be reasonably taken from the area, says water scientist Peter Gleick , president-emeritus of the Pacific Institute. Gleick, who has spent substantial time in South Africa, says the country generally has good water managers.

“Two years ago, I would not have predicted Cape Town would face day Zero,” he said in an interview. However, climate change has disrupted the Earth’s hydrological cycle (water cycle), changing when, where, and how much precipitation falls. That has made water management planning far more challenging, he said. Yet our water systems were largely built based on the more stable climate of the past.

“What’s happening in Cape Town could happen anywhere,” says Gleick.

Global Risk

Brazil’s São Paulo, a megacity of 20 million, faced its own Day Zero in 2015. The city turned off its water supply for 12 hours a day, forcing many businesses and industries to shut down . In 2008, Barcelona, Spain, had to import tankers full of freshwater from France. Droughts have also become more frequent, more severe, and affecting more people around the world.

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Fourteen of the world’s 20 megacities are now experiencing water scarcity or drought conditions. As many as four billion people already live in regions that experience severe water stress for at least one month of the year, according to a 2016 study in the journal Science Advances . Nearly half of those people live in India and China. With populations rising, these stresses will only mount.

Disaster data compiled by the U.N . clearly shows floods are also getting worse. They are happening more frequently, especially in coastal regions and river valleys, and affecting more people. Of all major disasters in the world between 1995 and 2015, 90 percent were weather-related events, such as floods, storms, heatwaves, and droughts. Flooding accounted for more than half of all weather-related disasters, affecting 2.3 billion people and killing 157,000 in that 20-year period. Last year, the costs of extreme weather—floods, droughts, wildfires, storms—in the U.S. reached a record-topping $300 billion . These events displaced more than one million Americans from their homes.

Humanity is facing a growing challenge of too much water in some places and not enough water in others. This is being driven not just by climate change, but by population and economic growth and poor water management, experts warn.

“Water scarcity and flood problems are primarily due to quick growth, increasing vulnerability, and insufficient preparation,” says Arjen Hoekstra , a professor of water management at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. “Climate change, however, is and will worsen the situation in most cases.”

The Roll of “Embedded Water”

Cape Town, where nearly four million people live, has a dry climate much like southern California. It is facing it’s Day Zero due to increased water demands from population and economic growth in combination with a three-year drought that’s severely limited the water supply. Yet what many people don’t realize is that typical home use of water—for washing, flushing, and cooking—represents only about three percent of humanity’s total water consumption, says Hoekstra. Agriculture uses the lion’s share, 80 to 90 percent, followed by energy production and industry.

Rivers Run Dry

The Cape Town region is the heart of South Africa’s wine country, which exported 113 million gallons (428.5 million litres) of wine in 2016 to Europe and the U.S. Yet this export represents a much bigger amount of water that was used to grow and process the grapes. Most of that water is no longer available for human consumption, according to Hoekstra, who is the creator of the water footprint concept. He and colleagues at the Water Footprint Network have worked out that it takes between 26 to 53 gallons (100 to 200 liters) of water to grow the grapes and process them into one five-ounce (125 ml) glass of wine.

In other words, the net amount of water used to grow or make something, be it a lemon, cellphone, or glass of wine, is the product’s water footprint. Most of the water used to make a typical glass of wine is lost to evaporation, with a small amount stored in the grapes, and the rest unsuitable for reuse. While the evaporated water will eventually become rain, it is unlikely to fall over the same vineyards, or even in the Western Cape province, meaning it is effectively “lost” to the region.

So that means a typical 25-ounce (750 ml) bottle of wine has a water footprint of nearly 200 gallons (750 liters). That means the region’s 2016 wine exports involved the net consumption of 113.2 billion gallons (428.5 billion liters) of water. This is water that is lost to the region.

South Africa already has 7 million people without access to water . Meeting their needs would require 33.3 billion gallons (126 billion liters) per year, one third of the amount the wine industry consumes. On top of that, the Western Cape exported an estimated 231,000 tonnes of citrus fruits , mostly oranges, in 2017. The water footprint of one orange—the net amount of water used to grow it—averages 21 gallons (80 liters). Using that basis, those citrus exports used up 30 billion gallons (115 billion liters) of the province’s water.

Not only does it take water to grow anything, it also takes water to make most things: cars, furniture, books, electronics, buildings, jewelry, toys, and even electricity. This water, which often goes largely unseen, is often called “virtual water.” What gets forgotten is that virtual water is as real as the water you drink.

South Africa, a water-stressed country, also exports oil products, minerals, and metals, all of which require enormous amounts of water. For example, it exported 211 tonnes of platinum in 2012. That’s like an export of 45 billion gallons (170 billion liters) of water—the estimated amount of water needed to mine and process the metal .

Other large countries with growing populations, such as China and India, also export staggering volumes of virtual water, often while facing considerable water scarcity problems at home. “This simply can’t continue,” says Hoekstra.

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All of those exports could be produced using far less water, Hoekstra says. It starts with what he calls the most important water management strategy: grow and produce things in the right place. In other words, water-intensive crops like rice and cotton should be grown in water-rich regions.

In a global economy, drought can be a big issue even in water-rich countries, because of a growing dependence on imports. Around 38 percent of the European Union’s water consumption is reliant on water availability in other countries, to grow soybeans, rice, cotton, and other products that it imports. “That makes Europe vulnerable to increasing water scarcity and drought,” says Christopher Briggs , executive director of Water Footprint Network.

A coastal city, Cape Town hopes to solve its problem by getting a new water source: the ocean. It is building its first desalination plants . However, these are expensive and energy intensive. Gleick says it would be more cost effective for the region to shift to less-water intensive crops and to reuse treated wastewater. Currently, Cape Town reuses just five percent of its treated wastewater, compared to Israel’s 85 percent. Israel has also eliminated water-thirsty crops like cotton and made major improvements in water efficiency to free up more water for population growth.

California, which recently suffered through four years of drought and water restrictions , also needs to shift its agricultural production to less water-using crops, says Gleick, who is based there. And the state could increase its wastewater reuse from the current 15 percent, using the surplus to recharge depleted aquifers and use on crops.

A reservoir can be seen at a low level in Cape Town in February. Many other cities could suffer similar fates in the near future, experts warn.

When There’s Too Much Water

Perhaps ironically, too much water too fast was California’s most recent water problem. Following its worst wildfire season in history, heavy rainfall this winter produced mud slides that killed more than 20 people and destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes. Hurricane Harvey , which hit Texas and Louisiana last August, causing $125 billion in damage, dumped more water out of the sky than any storm in U.S. history. Some 890,000 families sought federal disaster aid, most often from flooding in the Houston area—in large part because many homes were built on flood plains . At the start of March, five states were under a state of emergency (Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, and Michigan) due to heavy rainfalls and flooding.

Rapid population growth, building on floodplains or low-lying coastal regions, and climate change are the biggest reasons why flooding is affecting more people and causing ever greater damage, warns Gleick.

Climate change is the result of burning fossil fuels and has added 46 percent more heat-trapping carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. But even if fossil-fuel used ended today, that additional heat in the atmosphere will put 10 times more Americans at risk of being flooded out by rivers over the next 20 years, a new study reveals .

“More than half of the United States must at least double their protection level within the next two decades if they want to avoid a dramatic increase in river flood risks,” says lead-author Sven Willner from Germany’s Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

Rainfall changes caused by global warming will increase river flood risks across the globe, the study found. In South America, the number of people affected by river flooding will likely increase from 6 to 12 million. In Africa, the number will rise from 25 to 34 million, and in Asia from 70 to 156 million.

It bears repeating that these findings are based on the current level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In reality, humanity added 45 billion tons in 2017, and will likely add that much or more in 2018. Without limiting human-caused warming to well below 3.6 degrees F (2 degrees Celsius), the river flood risk in many regions will be beyond what we can adapt to, Willner and team’s study concludes.

Climate change is also causing sea levels to rise, resulting in substantial coastal flooding during high tides and storms. More than 13 million Americans living on the coasts will be forced to move by 2100 because of rising ocean levels, according to a 2017 study by Mathew Hauer, a demographer at the University of Georgia. About 2.5 million will flee the region that includes Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. Greater New Orleans loses up to 500,000 people; the New York City area loses 50,000, the study estimated. These coastal migrants will likely go to cities on high ground with mild climates, such as Atlanta, Austin, Madison, and Memphis. ( See what would happen if all the ice melted .)

“If people are forced to move because their houses become inundated, the migration could affect many landlocked communities as well,” said Hauer in a statement.

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Essay on Water Crisis 500+ Words

Water, a life-sustaining resource, is essential for all living creatures on Earth. However, a water crisis is emerging as one of the most significant challenges humanity faces today. In this essay, we will explore the water crisis, its causes and consequences, and the critical need for sustainable solutions to ensure a better future for our planet.

The Growing Water Crisis

A water crisis refers to the scarcity of clean, fresh water needed for various purposes, such as drinking, agriculture, industry, and sanitation. It’s a global problem that affects people, ecosystems, and economies. According to the United Nations, by 2030, nearly half of the world’s population could be facing water scarcity.

Causes of the Water Crisis

a. Overpopulation : The world’s population is rapidly increasing, leading to higher water demand for drinking, irrigation, and industrial use.

b. Climate Change : Changing weather patterns, including prolonged droughts and more frequent extreme weather events, are affecting water availability.

c. Pollution : Water sources are often polluted by chemicals, sewage, and industrial waste, making water unsafe for consumption.

d. Wasteful Practices : Water wastage in agriculture, industry, and households contributes to the crisis.

Consequences of Water Scarcity

a. Health Issues : Lack of clean water leads to waterborne diseases like cholera and dysentery, affecting millions, especially children.

b. Food Insecurity : Agriculture heavily relies on water, and water scarcity can lead to crop failures and food shortages.

c. Conflict : Scarcity can trigger conflicts over limited water resources, leading to tensions between communities and even nations.

d. Ecosystem Damage : Wildlife and ecosystems suffer as water sources shrink, impacting biodiversity.

Sustainable Solutions to the Water Crisis

a. Water Conservation : Responsible water use, fixing leaks, and using water-saving appliances can make a significant difference.

b. Improved Infrastructure : Building and maintaining water supply and sanitation systems can help reduce water losses.

c. Rainwater Harvesting : Collecting rainwater for household use and agriculture can mitigate scarcity.

d. Desalination : Technology to turn seawater into freshwater is an option for regions with limited freshwater sources.

The Importance of Education

Education plays a vital role in raising awareness about the water crisis. Schools and communities can educate people about responsible water use, conservation, and the importance of preserving our water resources. Students can become water ambassadors, spreading the message about the need to protect our water.

Global Efforts to Combat Water Scarcity

International organizations like the United Nations and NGOs are working to address water scarcity on a global scale. They provide funding, expertise, and resources to implement sustainable water management practices in affected regions. Collaboration between countries and communities is key to finding solutions.

Conclusion of Essay on Water Crisis

In conclusion, the water crisis is a pressing global issue that affects people, ecosystems, and economies. Understanding its causes and consequences is the first step in finding solutions. It is essential for individuals, communities, and governments to take action by conserving water, improving infrastructure, and supporting sustainable practices. Education and global cooperation are vital in our fight against water scarcity.

By working together, we can ensure that future generations have access to the life-sustaining resource of clean, fresh water. Water is precious, and its conservation is our collective responsibility. As we address the water crisis, we are not only securing our own future but also safeguarding the health and well-being of our planet and all its inhabitants.

Also Check: The Essay on Essay: All you need to know

Essay on Water Crisis

Students are often asked to write an essay on Water Crisis in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Water Crisis

The water crisis.

Water is a basic necessity, yet many people worldwide face water scarcity. It’s a crisis that affects both humans and the environment.

Causes of Water Crisis

The crisis is due to pollution, overuse of water, and climate change. Pollution contaminates water, making it unsafe. Overuse, especially in agriculture, depletes water supplies. Climate change causes unpredictable rainfall, leading to droughts or floods.

Impact of Water Crisis

The crisis affects health, agriculture, and economies. Without clean water, diseases spread. Crops fail without enough water, causing food shortages. Economies suffer as industries need water to operate.

Solutions to Water Crisis

Solutions include better water management, reducing pollution, and using water-saving technologies. Everyone can help by using water wisely.

Also check:

• 10 Lines on Water Crisis

250 Words Essay on Water Crisis

The global water crisis: an unseen emergency.

Water, the basic necessity for all life forms, is alarmingly becoming scarce. The global water crisis, often an overlooked issue, is a pressing concern that demands immediate attention.

The Root Causes

The water crisis has its roots in various factors. Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation have led to increased pollution, making vast amounts of water unfit for consumption. Climate change, with its erratic weather patterns, exacerbates water scarcity by causing droughts and floods.

The Consequences

The implications of the water crisis are far-reaching. Water scarcity hampers agricultural productivity, leading to food insecurity. It also poses serious health risks as inadequate water often results in poor sanitation, leading to the spread of waterborne diseases.

Addressing the Crisis

Addressing the water crisis requires a multi-faceted approach. Conservation efforts, such as rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling, can help augment water supplies. Governments and corporations need to enforce stricter regulations to curb water pollution. Additionally, investing in technologies for desalination and efficient irrigation can alleviate water scarcity.

The Role of Education

Education plays a pivotal role in crisis management. By raising awareness about the water crisis and encouraging sustainable water practices, we can collectively contribute to the solution.

In conclusion, the water crisis is a multifaceted problem that requires global cooperation and innovative solutions. As the custodians of our planet, it is our responsibility to ensure that this life-giving resource is available for future generations.

500 Words Essay on Water Crisis

Introduction.

Water, the most fundamental building block of life, is becoming increasingly scarce. The world is grappling with a water crisis that poses a significant threat to both human survival and the stability of our ecosystems. This crisis is not limited to developing countries or arid regions; it is a global problem that requires urgent attention.

The Global Water Crisis

The water crisis is a complex issue with roots in various socio-economic and environmental factors. Climate change is exacerbating the situation by causing unpredictable weather patterns, leading to more frequent droughts and floods. These extreme weather events can contaminate freshwater sources and disrupt the supply of potable water.

Simultaneously, population growth and urbanization are increasing demand for water. According to the United Nations, global water demand is projected to increase by nearly 30% by 2050. This demand, combined with inefficient water use, particularly in agriculture, is rapidly depleting our freshwater resources.

Consequences of the Water Crisis

The consequences of the water crisis are far-reaching. It affects not only human health but also food security, energy production, and social stability. Lack of access to clean water leads to poor sanitation, which in turn contributes to diseases such as cholera and typhoid.

Moreover, water scarcity can exacerbate social inequalities. Poorer communities often bear the brunt of the crisis, as they lack the resources to access clean water. This can lead to conflict and displacement, further destabilizing regions already under stress.

Addressing the Water Crisis

Addressing the water crisis requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses both technological innovation and policy reform. On the technological front, advancements in desalination, water recycling, and efficient irrigation systems can play a crucial role in augmenting our water resources.

Conversely, policy reform should focus on promoting sustainable water management practices. This includes enforcing stricter regulations on water pollution and incentivizing the efficient use of water in agriculture and industry.

The water crisis is a pressing issue that demands immediate action. As we continue to grapple with this global challenge, it is crucial to remember that water is not just a commodity; it is a fundamental human right. By harnessing technological innovation and implementing effective policies, we can ensure that everyone has access to clean, safe water. This will not only alleviate the immediate water crisis but also contribute to the broader goals of social equality and environmental sustainability.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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Water Crisis Essay

In this water crisis essay, we had describe about water crisis in details.

Water is the basic requirement for the survival and promotion of humans, animals, birds and vegetation.

Environmental pollution is a major cause of ‘water crisis’ as a result the underground layer increases rapidly.

In 1951, the per capita water availability was about 5177 cubic meters, this has now come down to around 1545 in 2011 (Source: Water Resources Division, TERI).

What is Water Crisis?

The lack of available water resources to meet the demands of water use within a region is called ‘water crisis’.

Around 2.8 billion people living in all continents of the world are affected by water crisis at least one month each year, over 1.2 billion people do not have access to clean water for drinking.

Global Scenario of Water Crisis:

Due to increasing demand for water resources, climate change and population explosion, there is a decrease in water availability.

It is estimated that in the Middle East region of Asia, most of North Africa, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan and Spain, countries are expected to have water stress situation by 2040.

Along with this, many other countries including India, China, Southern Africa, USA and Australia may also face high water stress.

Status of Water Crisis in India – Water Crisis Essay:

In India, 330 million people or nearly a quarter of the country’s population are affected by severe drought due to two consecutive years of weak monsoon.

About 50% of the regions of India are experiencing drought like conditions, particularly in the western and southern states, with severe water crisis.

According to the Composite Water Management Index report released in 2018 by the NITI Aayog , 21 major cities of the country (Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad) and about 100 million people living in these cities are facing the severe problem of water crisis.

 12% of India’s population is already living under ‘Day Zero’ conditions.

Day Zero: In order to attract the attention of all people to limit and manage water consumption in the city of Cape Town, the idea of Day Zero was introduced so as to increase management and awareness of limiting water use.

Causes of Water Crisis in India:

The problems of water crisis in India are mainly indicated in the southern and northwestern parts, the geographical location of these areas that it receives less rainfall, the southwest monsoon does not receive rainfall on the Chennai coast.

Similarly, by reaching the monsoon in the northwest, it becomes weak due to which the amount of rainfall also decreases.

Monsoon uncertainty in India is also a major cause of water crisis. In recent years, due to the impact of El-Nino, rainfall has decreased, due to which a situation of water crisis has arisen.

The agricultural ecology of India is favorable for crops that require more water for production, such as rice, wheat, sugarcane, jute and cotton etc.

The problem of water crisis is particularly prevalent in agricultural areas having these crops, the state of water crisis has arisen due to the strengthening of agriculture in Haryana and Punjab.

Serious efforts are not made to reuse water resources in Indian cities that is why the problem of water crisis in urban areas has reached a worrying situation.

Instead of reusing most of the water in cities, they are directly discharged into a river.

There is a lack of awareness among people about water conservation, the misuse of water is constantly increasing; Lawn, washing of cart, leaving the bottle open at the time of water use, etc.

Efforts to Conserve Water:

Under the Sustainable Development Goal, water availability and sustainable management is to be ensured for all people by the year 2030, the following efforts for water conservation are being made to meet this goal as follows:

At present, the use of low water crops is being encouraged to reduce the excessive use of water due to the intensification of agriculture.

In the Second Green Revolution, emphasis is being placed on low water intensity crops.

Efforts are being made to conserve water through dams, the government is also taking help from the World Bank for dam repair and reconstruction.

Guidelines have been issued by the government for construction of water tanks under the water supply program during the construction of buildings in the cities.

The NITI Aayog has released the overall water management index to inspire the effective use of water in states and union territories.

Precautions to avoid Water Crisis:

High-water crops such as wheat, rice, etc. should be transferred from coarse grains because about one-third of the water can be saved using these crops.

Also, the nutritional level of coarse cereals is also high, the use of low-water crops should be increased in areas with less rainfall.

In recent years, such efforts have been made by the Government of Tamil Nadu, water consumption efficiency should be increased, as it is still less than 30% in the best cases.

Public awareness is essential for water conservation because problem of water crisis has risen, however in some areas of America with less water availability than in countries like India.

RELATED ESSAYS:

SAVE WATER ESSAY | WATER POLLUTION ESSAY | WATER CONSERVATION ESSAY

Conclusion for Water Crisis Essay:

Water is an important natural resource as it maintains all living beings on the earth.

 We use it for drinking and cooking, bathing and cleaning, surprisingly less than one percent of the total water supply is potable, but water pollution and misuse of water crisis lead to the ‘water crisis’.

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--> Global Water Crisis Essay

The insufficient supply of safe drinking water has been viewed as the major cause of water related epidemics in the world today. Many people have lost their lives from diseases that are directly associated to unsafe drinking water. Contaminated water have affected the normal and reproductive lives of so many people mostly in the developing world. Contaminated water has caused many health problems in the whole world. In the developing countries especially in rural areas majority of people do not have access to safe water for drinking and are only surviving on polluted water.

The main factor of diminishing clean and safe waters supply has been the ever increasing world’s population growth which has increased the use of renewable water resources. The world’s population has been predicted to increase even further if the current population growth rate is not rectified. Hence, coupled with industrialization and urbanization, the result may be an increase in the demand for water which may add detrimental consequences to the environment. According to a joint report by WHO/UNICEF (2008), it states that “The number of people globally who lack access to an improved drinking water source has fallen below one billion for the first time since data were first compiled in 1990.  At present 87 per cent of the world population has access to improved drinking water sources, with current trends suggesting that more than 90 per cent will do so by 2015”. The statement confirms justifies the thesis statement that the sustainable access to safe drinking water is the current global water crisis. The report also noted that a sustainable and equitable water management should be undertaken having in place an integrated approach, the assessment of the resource is the basis for a sound decision making and the national capacities to undertake such assessments should be encouraged and enhanced at the grassroots and through international levels. This is can be paramount to provide a better understanding of the state of the world’s fresh water resources globally.

Literature review

According to Pierre (1995), “Water is undoubtedly the most precious natural resource that exists on our planet”. The water occurrence in the world is unevenly distributed both spatially and temporally. A rough estimate of the distribution of fresh water on the earth’s surface is as follow; the polar ice and glaciers is approximately 29 x 10 6 km 3 which is 77 % of fresh water. Ground water of depths up to 800 m is approximately 4.15 x 10 6 km 3 which accounts for 11 % of available fresh water. The ground water of depths below 800 m is approximately 4.15 x 10 6 km 3 which is approximately 11%. The fresh water held in lakes, rivers and streams is approximately 0.12 x 10 6 km 3 . The water held in soil moisture and ground seepage is approximately 0.12 x 10 6 km 3 and the water held in the atmosphere as water vapor accounts for 0.013 x 10 6 km 3. . Thus the total quantity of water on the earth’s surface amounts to 97.2 % seawater and 2. 8 % freshwater, which amounts to 1.38 billion km³.  Most of the freshwater appears as ice. Only 0.3 % of the world-wide stores of water are available as drinking water.

Table 1. Showing the estimate of global water distribution.

Secondary source: Earth forum, Houston Museum of Natural Sciences.

Evaporation from the oceans is the primary mechanism supporting the surface-to-atmosphere portion of the water cycle. After all, the large surface area of the oceans (over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by the oceans) provides the opportunity for such large-scale evaporation to occur. On a global scale, the amount of water evaporating is about the same as the amount of water delivered to the Earth as precipitation. This does vary geographically, though. Evaporation is more prevalent over the oceans than precipitation, while over the land, precipitation routinely exceeds evaporation. Most of the water that evaporates from the oceans falls back into the oceans as precipitation. Igor (1993), noted that “onlyabout 10 percent of the water evaporated from the oceans is transported over land and falls as precipitation. Once evaporated, a water molecule spends about 10 days in the air. The process of evaporation is so great that without precipitation runoff, and discharge from aquifers, oceans would become nearly empty”.

In the water cycle, the hydrologic budget accounts for the various phases in the water cycle within a catchment with the main aim of ascertaining the relative magnitude.

The change in water storage Δ S (Change in storage) = Precipitation ( P) – ( Evaporation (E) + Evapotranspiration (T) + Ground water flow out of catchment (G) + surface runoff (Q).

There are three basic climatic groups which show the dominance of a combination of air mass source regions; the low latitude climates are controlled by equatorial and tropical air masses. The tropical moist climates (rainforests) have heavy precipitation in all months with the total annual rainfall being more than 250 cm (100 in) with steady temperatures of approximately 27 o C  (80 o F) having an average  temperature of 18 o C.

The wet-dry tropical climates (Savanna) have temperature range of 16 o C with annual precipitation less than 0.25 cm, whereas the dry tropical climate (Desert biome) having temperature range of 16 o C and annual precipitation of 0.25 cm.

The second group consists of mid latitude climates. The dry mid latitude climates (Steppe) is a semi arid climate with temperature range of 24 o C, having annual precipitation of less than 10 cm in the driest regions 50 cm in the moister regions. The Mediterranean climate (Chaparral biome) consisting of wet winters and dry summer have temperature ranges of 7 o C with an annual precipitation of 42 cm. The dry midlatitude climates (Grassland biome) have annual temperatures that range widely having warm to hot summers and winters are very cold. The temperature range is 31 o C and the annual precipitation of 81 cm. The moist continental climates (Deciduous forest biome) have temperature range of 31 o C and an average annual precipitation of 81 cm.

The other group comprise of the high latitude climates. The boreal forest climate has temperature range of 41 o C, low at -25 o C and high at 16 o C. The average annual precipitation is 31 cm. The Tundra climate (tundra biome) has temperature ranges low at -22 o C and high at 6 o C. The average annual precipitation is 28 cm. The highland climate (alpine biome) has climates that are cool to cold. The temperature range is low at -18 o C and high at 10 o C. The average annual precipitation is 23 cm.

The data on availability of safe drinking water for use by humans can make concerned parties on issues related to water to analyze the extent to which climate change, population growth and the rising levels of pollution intensify the water crisis, and to know the available water for each person in every country and the amount of water that will be needed to have a sustainable food supply in the years coming years

Current issues on the global water crisis.

The current global trends in population, urbanization, economic development, industrialization, migration have pushed water demand to unsustainable levels. Access to clean water is one part of the growing water crisis. The availability of clean water has been hampered by the ever increasing rate of population growth, industrialization and urbanization making the availability of quality water to pose threats to human existence. Population growth is a major cause of the global water shortages. There has been a lot of concern towards the ever increasing population growth which has resulted to an increase in industrial, agricultural and individual water demands. The demand for water has increased in most parts of the world with some regions having a higher demand for quality and quantity supply of water, over-utilization of freshwater resources has led to failure in the global accessibility of quality and quantity supply of water.

Temperatures changes have increased the rate of melting of snow, ice and glacier resulting into low water supplies in farms and cities. Climate change has also contributed to desertification which has aggravated the availability of water therefore the water quality has deteriorated in many countries especially the developing world due to salinity,the combination of lower precipitation and higher evaporation in many regions is reducing  water quantities in rivers, lakes and groundwater.

Increased urbanization in the developing countries has led directly to poor heath as the work necessary to develop infrastructure required to deliver clean water and sanitation has failed. Hence therefore the inadequate water has led to poor and low quality of life and, in some cases, social unrest.

Pollution is another cause of global water crisis. It involves the release into lakes, streams, rivers, and oceans of substances that become dissolved or suspended in the water or deposited upon the bottom and accumulate that interferes with the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. It also includes the release of energy in the form of radioactivity or heat. Crankcase oil drips and disposal.

Threats caused by water pollution include; the effects on the ecosystem such as the shifts in biodiversity of fauna and flora in the polluted ecosystem, changes in food chains and food webs, imbalances in the microbial population, and the depositions of toxic chemicals in soil leading to soil infertility.

Effects on animal health includes the  death of aquatic and terrestrial animals, reduced reproduction rate, increased incidences of diseases, imbalances caused by secondary food chains, accumulation of bioaccumulative and non-biodegradable pollutants in animal bodies, organochlorine pesticides such as DDT can lead to bioaccumulation and biomagnifications. The pollutants e.g. nitrate pollution can be carcinogenic to human beings; polluted water can cause skin disorders when in contact with pollutants. Pathogens can lead to increased incidences of constipation, diarrhea and intestinal infections. Dangers can be posed to unborn babies in pregnant women this can lead to still births, giving birth to deformed children and abortions. There may be an outbreak of water borne related diseases such as hepatitis, jaundice and gastroenteritis due to use of polluted waters. Other health effects to humans may be reduced borne development and muscular development, impotency and changes in psychological cycles of a human body.

Scarcity of water can cause famine. This situation can worsen since the population growth rate is ever increasing and lack of sufficient supply of food to feed the entire population can become a disaster i.e. an outbreak of famine.

Data analysis

Data analysis in all aspects of water and relevant socio-economic conditions need to be strategically collected and more systematically monitored to ensure adequate attention to the issues mentioned above. Use of data should be adequate within projects. The collection and analysis of data on the hydrologic cycle, groundwater, water quality, and precipitation are more important for successful water project implementation; hence therefore it needs to be taken on board more commonly.

Emerging trends in the global configuration for water call for adjustments and a more strategic approach by countries and financing agencies to better planning in order to be effective. Future directions need to be created on strong partnerships, better knowledge creation and dissemination.

Recommendations.

There are possibilities that can alleviate the global water crisis; I believe that with technology, humans can have access to ground water. The technological advances in geology have been implemented in many regions by well drilling and pump technology. Technological methods can also be used to purify water e.g. desalinization of saline waters. According to FAO (2003), “Unreliable water deliveries have often been the main reason for farmers to turn to groundwater, leading in many regions to overexploitation. In many areas, over-abstraction of groundwater is severe and water levels are declining at rates of 1-3 meters per year”.

Water is a valuable natural resource and when referring to its ecological value we need to review water characteristics from the ecosystem perspective and to emphasize on its meaning and scope for humans, plants and animals, and for life as a whole in a comprehensive global approach. Thus, market approach to the management of water resources through privatization and putting water matters to be business. This could reduce or mitigate the political force and security pressure that interferes with international matters.

Some countries have regulations on population growth. This is another important strategy that can also mitigate the global water crisis. Slowing down the population growth rate would mean slowing down the pollution rate, better management of the current supply of water and demand.

Water conservation practices such as the use of efficient appliances and fixtures, behavioral changes, and changes in irrigation techniques, can reduce water consumption by greater levels.  It is important implemented general water-saving devices and practices such as low-flow toilets, in the work place it is important to encourage employees to use water wisely by turning off the water while washing hands, creating water-saving landscaping, waste water recycling and reuse.  

Many studies have pointed out that the most efficient benefits in water efficiency are those that can benefit the poor people by encouraging them to increase storage and the utilization of rain water. Rain water that is collected from roofs can be harvested in underground tanks and can make a very important supplier of quality drinking water since roof rain water is of good quality and may not necessarily require any prior treatment before its consumption.

The investments and management of safe and clean water supplies should be linked with a more effective management of the demand for clean water. . Demand management is a key challenge in the face of increasing water scarcity. Cost-recovery in Bank supported water projects has rarely been successful and efficiency enhancing technologies alone do not necessarily reduce water use in the agriculture sector. Fixing and enforcing quotas for water use is a relatively recent approach and deserves careful evaluation in the future. Effective demand management must become an integral theme of development assistance.

There is a vital need to have a greater focus on environmental restoration. It is not always necessary to restore the water-related environment to a perfect state in order to obtain major social, economic, and environmental benefits and reduce vulnerability. Gould and John (1989) suggested that “necessary improvements are needed for degraded environments, even when small, can have big impacts for example the Vietnam Coastal Wetlands Protection project which attempted   to balance environmental protection with the livelihood needs of people dependent on natural resources. The project helped to reduce the coastal erosion area by as much as 40%, this was a success”.

There needs to be greater attention given to improved sanitation. Since Population growth in developing countries has been very rapid like escalating rates of urbanization. An expansion of piped water services and higher household water use can be adopted to lead to an accelerating demand for adequate sanitation. Within sanitation, more emphasis should focus on household connections and cheap technologies. Generally, the connection targets in projects has never been met since  households have not connected to such systems, in part because the willingness to pay has been over-estimated and facilities have been over-designed. In addition, the contribution of water supply and sanitation to health outcomes needs to be emphasized more.

International organizations such as the earthwatch.org should expand their commitments to develop and implement coherent social and environmental policies which aim at demonstrating good practices such as environmental stewardship in environmental conservation and managementEnvironmental awareness and education.

Environmental education and awareness concerning matters of water as a precious natural resource can be conducted in a more popular manner like adhering to and observing the worldwaterday.org, WWD (World Water Day), World Environment Day and others.

For instance the WWD 2010 focused on a theme “Clean Water for a Healthy World” The emphases on the production of waste water. The most important message was that waste and waste water can be re-used in a productive way such as energy production and irrigation. It also noted that in developing countries 80% is being misused due to lack of appropriate regulations and vital resources. It also focused on the impacts of population and industrialization growth rates which have greatly contributed to the addition of new sources of pollution and increased demand for clean and safe water

Human and environmental health, drinking and agricultural water supplies for the present and future are at stake, still water pollution is an obvious important issue.

In addition, the United Nations through the UN-Water chose a theme ‘Clean Water for a Healthy World” for World Water Day 2010. The overall goal of the World Water Day on 22 March 2010 campaign was to raise the profile of water quality at the political level so that water quality considerations are made alongside those of water quantity. The United Nations Environmental Program- UNEP has the responsibility for taking the lead in 2010; The UN-Water was declared at a session during the Stockholm World Water Week in August 2009.

Conclusion.

Availability of clean and safe water for drinking is a very sensitive factor affecting every aspect of human well-being and prosperity. It is very detrimental to human health; water availability is a necessity for the production of food, raising of domestic animals, quenching thirst, prevention of disease and provision of good sanitation and high hygienic standards.

Quality water is also very important for human socio-economic development through health facilities and education, energy production and in industrial use.

In relation to security from global water crisis, there should be put in place measures for the protection from floods and drought which have been natural disasters and have affected many people more regularly. For instance the people living in the developing world where protection and mitigation from natural disasters is not a priority and where a disproportionately high number of victims such as the internally displace people live.  According to the United Nations (U.N.) Economic and Social Council, Committee on Natural Resources (1994), it states that “to meet the Millennium Development Goals, billions of people will need to have access to water over nine years”. Finally International organizations should encourage environmental education or awareness. Such as the UN declared 2005-2015 the International Decade for Action and the launching of a Water for Life campaign in an effort to address the most detrimental humanitarian results of the current, and increasing, global water crisis.

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Essay on Water for Students and Children

500+ words essay on water.

Water is one of the most important substances for life on earth to function. It is equally important for humans as well as animals. Water does not merely help us survive, but it is significant for our day to day functioning. It has numerous uses when we come to think about it. Majority of our earth is covered with water itself, but, not all of it is safe for consumption. Therefore, it makes it essential for us to utilize this transparent substance chemical wisely. Moreover, if we look at the shortage of water happening in our country, it makes it all the more important to conserve it immediately.

Uses of Water

As we have already said that water has numerous uses, we will see where it is used. This part will most importantly help us realize the importance of water . It will make humans aware of what absence of water in the following areas can do to human life. As India’s main occupation is agriculture, water is exhaustively used here. Irrigation and cattle rearing requires a lot of water. Thus, a lot of farmers’ livelihood depends on it.

Further, industries use water for various purposes. It comes in handy when cooling, manufacturing and transporting several goods. For instance, thermal power plants consume quite a substantial amount of water for their running.

Furthermore, the domestic use of water cannot be left behind. In the day to day life of the common man, water plays a vital role. That is to say, from drinking water to washing utensils, we need water every step of the way.

After that, plants need water to survive and make food. It is one of the main elements which help them grow. Hence, water is extremely important for humans, animals, and plants to survive .

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Do not Waste Water

While water is quite essential and yet so scarce, however, people fail to realize this fact. They waste water with little or no care for the results of this activity. There are various ways in which one can avoid wasting water . To begin with, all households must get their leaking taps checked. They should fix them immediately as every drop is precious.

Similarly, we must choose buckets instead of showers for bathing. This is a very debatable topic and it needs to be settled. Showers waste a lot of water, so people must prefer buckets. This particular habit is quite commonly found in most of the households. People do not turn off their taps while brushing their teeth and washing utensils. Always remember to keep the tap off when doing so.

In addition, encourage rainwater harvesting system in all homes. This can help conserve water like never before.

In short, water is essential for the survival of mankind. But, it is, unfortunately, being waster rapidly. Every citizen and government must come together to tackle this issue. Governments must ensure all areas get water equally. On the other hand, citizens must keep in mind to use it wisely and not waste it unnecessarily.

FAQs on Water

Q.1 State the importance of water.

A.1 Water is of the utmost importance for human and animal life. It gives us water to drink. It also comes in great use for farmers and industries. Even common man requires water for various purposes like drinking, cleaning, bathing and more.

Q.2 List the ways to avoid wastage of water.

A.2 Everyone must avoid wasting water. We can do so by fixing our leaking taps, avoiding showers for bathing, and turning off taps when brushing. Furthermore, we can adopt rainwater harvesting system to conserve water.

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Essay on Water Crisis | Water Scarcity Essay

Essay on water crisis | water scarcity essay.

Water scarcity essay: Here we have written an essay on water crisis covering all the important points viz; meaning of water crisis, reason of water crisis, how to address problem of water scarcity etc. This water scarcity essay has 600 + words and very helpful for all exams.

Essay on Water Crisis

Earth is only planet that has water which is primary source of life without which life is impossible. 70% of our planet is covered with water and so it is easy to think that there is plenty of water and there will be no scarcity of water. But the realty of availability of water is far away from it. The freshwater that we use for drinking, bathing, irrigation etc. is incredibly rare. Only 3% of the total water is fresh water and out of which two-thirds is tucked away in frozen glaciers or otherwise unavailable for our use.

As a result, billions of people worldwide lack access to fresh water for at least one month during each year. Inadequate sanitation is also a major problem for billions of people. Due to inadequate sanitation they are exposed to water borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever etc.

Many of the water resources that keep our ecosystems thriving and feed entire human population have become stressed. Rivers, lakes and aquifers are drying up and becoming too polluted to use to due to excessive  and improper use. Climate change is also altering patterns of weather and water around the world. As a result, it causes shortages and droughts in some areas and floods in others.

How to tackle with the problem of water scarcity

While the situation of water crisis is dire, there are many solutions that can be helpful in addressing global water scarcity. These include creating awareness about water scarcity to understand the scope of the issue. In this regard World Water Day is observed every year on 22 March  with a specific to theme to create awareness about this vital resource of earth. Use of new technologies like wastewater recycling, energy-efficient desalination plants, solar and UV water filtration, nanofiltration, and rainwater harvesting systems can also be very helpful in addressing water scarcity.

Also Read: Essay on Global Warming

As almost 70% of fresh water is used in agriculture, making agricultural irrigation more efficient can be helpful in addressing water crisis. Enhanced soil moisture sensors, monitoring, weather stations, and communications systems should be use to get accurate data to ensure water is not wasted. In addition to this, growing seasonal and less water-intensive crops should also be explored and more  focused.

Reducing water pollution is also critical step to improving access to clean water. Individual, industries and all consumers should dispose of toxic substances safely rather than pour them down into drain.

Water Crisis in India

Though more than half of earth covered with water, disastrous water crisis is creeping  on the world from a very long time and in India water crisis is constant. 17 % of world population live in India but it posses only 4% of world’s water resources. Some parts of India facing drought while others are facing flood. Ground water level is constantly declining. Green revolution which made India self-reliant in terms of food grains, is also a reason of water crisis. Some states like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are producing rice by using too much water which is not the natural crop of these areas. Too much Irrigation in agriculture land making land unfertile and provoking the water crisis.

Also Read: Essay on Natural Disaster

Ground water is not only source of fresh water, rain water can also be stored and used for daily needs. Adopting rainwater harvesting and recharging groundwater is one of the simplest and best measures in conserving water. Some states like Tamilnadu are already doing good in rain water harvesting. This practice can efficiently be implemented in lieu of traditional water supplies that are currently on the verge of tapping out water resources. We cannot generate water so water is precious resource and we all should use is carefully.

A famous poet Raheem Das said- “Raheeman Pani Rakhiye Bin Pani Sab Soon,  Pani gaye na ubre moti manush choon”

Meaning - Conserve and save water because without water everything is zero, if it disappeared from the earth, ecosystem and human life  too would disappear with it.

Hope you liked this essay on water crisis and it helped you in your preparation. You may download PDF essay on important topics from here for your exams.

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India’s Water Crisis – How to Solve it?

From Current Affairs Notes for UPSC » Editorials & In-depths » This topic

Water is the most valuable natural resource as it is essential for human survival and life on earth. However, the availability of freshwater for human consumption is highly under stress because of a variety of factors. This crisis of water scarcity is most visible in India as well as in other developing countries.

This topic of “India’s Water Crisis – How to Solve it?” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination , which falls under General Studies Portion.

What is water scarcity?

• Water scarcity is the lack of freshwater resources to satisfy water demand.
• It is manifested by partial or no satisfaction of expressed demand, economic competition for water quantity or quality, disputes between users, irreversible groundwater depletion, and negative effects on the environment.
• It affects every continent and was categorised in 2019 by the World Economic Forum as one of the largest global risks with respect to its potential impact over the next decade.
• One-third of the global population (2 billion people) live under situations of severe water scarcity at least one month of the year.
• Half a billion people in the world affected by severe water scarcity all year round.
• Half of the world’s largest cities have been facing water scarcity.

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How is the water scarcity measured?

• The absolute minimum water requirement for domestic usage is 50 litres per person per day, though 100-200 litres is often recommended.
• Considering the needs of agriculture, industry and energy sectors, the recommended minimum annual per capita requirement is about 1700 cubic meters .
• If a country like India has only about 1700 cu. meters water per person per year, it will experience only occasional or local water distress .
• If the availability falls below this threshold level, the country will start to experience periodic or regular water stress .
• If the water availability declines below 1000 cu. meters, the country will suffer from chronic water scarcity . Lack of water will then start to severely affect human health and well-being as well as economic development.
• If the annual per capita supply declines below 500 cu. meters, the country will reach the stage of absolute scarcity .

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What is the status of water availability in India?

• India receives 4000 bcm (billion cubic metres) rainfall each year. Out of this, 1869 bcm remains after evaporation = The actual availability is only 1137 bcm.
• Even in that 1137 bcm of water, there is a lot of temporal as well as regional variations in the availability.
• For instance, on the one side, there are water surplus states such as Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and on the other side, there are water scarce states such as Maharashtra (Vidarbha, Beed), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat.
• Moreover, some states that are known to be water abundant such as Punjab, Haryana have their own issues.

What is the magnitude of the water crisis in India?

• Currently, the annual availability of water is 1123 bcm in India and the demand is around 750 bcm. However, by 2050 the annual demand for water will be 1180 bcm which will exceed the water availability = wide ramifications for the country.
• 70% of India’s water is contaminated.
• 75% of households do not have drinking water on its premises.
• 84% of rural households do not have access to piped water.
• 54% of the country’s groundwater is declining rapidly than it is being replenished.
• India’s water table is declining in most regions. Also, there is a presence of toxic elements like fluoride, arsenic, mercury, even uranium in our groundwater.
• Water levels in India’s major reservoirs have fallen to 21% of the average of the last decade.
• Hundreds of small and seasonal rivers are perishing permanently.
• Almost all the major perennial rivers remain stagnant.
• Cauvery and its tributaries haven’t met the ocean for decades; the upstream dams choke its flows downstream, affecting people in Tamil Nadu.
• Krishna river runs dry in her delta region for most of the year.
• According to NITI Aayog’s water quality index, India ranks 120 th among 122 countries.

What is the recent water crisis in India?

• Maharashtra is facing a water crisis of unprecedented proportions. After years of drought, the river currents have ebbed, water in dams and reservoirs have depleted and over-exploitation of groundwater has raised concerns regarding the long-term availability of water.
• Meanwhile, media reports claim IT firms in Chennai are asking employees to work from home. The reason is that they don’t have enough water to sustain their operations. It hasn’t rained for almost 200 days in the city and it may not get adequate rain to get over the water crisis for the next 3 months.
• In North India, the people of arid Thar Desert of Rajasthan are spending Rs. 2500 for getting 2500 litres of water which they share with their cattle.
• With Punjab facing the threat of desertification and the state struggling to break away from the wheat-paddy cycle, farmers in the state have been adopting a decade-old scheme to utilise underground pipeline system for irrigation.
• In light of this crisis, Central government on its part has created a Jal Shakti Ministry under a full-fledged cabinet minister to resolve the water crisis but a lot more needs to be done.

What are the reasons for this crisis?

Monsoon dependence:.

There is a huge dependence on monsoon rains to replenish most of India’s important water sources such as underground aquifers, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs . But monsoon is vulnerable to factors such as climate change, El-Nino , etc.

Uneven distribution of water and Rainfall pattern :

Certain regions have surplus amounts of water for their need while others face perennial droughts for most of the year. For instance, Drought is a recurrent phenomenon in Andhra Pradesh where no district is entirely free of droughts. Rajasthan is one of the most drought-prone areas of India.

Increasing demand :

Population growth, industrialization, rapid urbanisation, rising needs of irrigation and increase in domestic water usage have accelerated the demand for water. Since urbanization increases in India at a rapid pace = water demand will increase rapidly as city dwellers consume more water than rural people.

Urbanisation & Water scarcity:

• Currently, about 285 million or 33% of India’s total population resides in urban areas. By 2050 this figure will reach 50%.
• Rapid urbanisation is adding to the water scarcity issue in the country.
• Presence of buildings, tar, and cement roads = even if a city like Mumbai gets good rains, the rainwater is not retained in the area as the water is not allowed to percolate underground.
• Therefore, water required for cities is largely drawn from neighbouring villages and far-off rivers and lakes = threatening the availability in those areas.
• Large cities also generate large quantities of urban sewage which pollutes the freshwater sources and ocean waters. However, only about 20% of urban wastewater is currently treated globally. In India, the figure is even lower.

Overexploitation :

• In developing countries like India, groundwater fulfills nearly 80% of irrigation requirement = resulted in a fast depletion of groundwater sources.
• Free power and inefficient utilisation of water by farmers has added to the issue of groundwater depletion.
• The groundwater and sand extraction from most river beds and basins has turned unsustainable.
• Tanks and ponds are encroached upon.
• Dug-wells and borewells are carelessly built to slide deeper and deeper to suck water from greater depths.

Shift to cash-crops:

Water is being diverted from food crops to cash crops that consume an enormous quantity of water.

Inefficient cultivation practices:

• In India, around 70% of the population is still dependent on agriculture for its livelihood.
• Since the adoption of Green Revolution in the 1960s, nearly 50% of the food production comes from irrigated land.
• But inefficient cultivation practices have led to the flooding of fertile land which in turn has caused salinization, siltation of reservoirs, etc = causing groundwater reserves of major agricultural states to be depleted at an alarming rate.

Water Pollution :

• Release of industrial and domestic waste, including urban sewage, into rivers, lakes, and estuaries has polluted freshwater sources at an alarming rate in India = those fresh water sources are not fit for drinking or other activities.
• Eutrophication of surface water and coastal zones is expected to increase almost everywhere leads to nitrogen pollution .

What are the impacts of the water crisis?

Economic growth: A Niti Aayog report predicted that water demand will be twice the present supply by 2030 and India could lose up to 6% of its GDP during that time.

Power supply: Water shortages are hurting India’s capacity to generate electricity because 40% of thermal power plants are located in areas where water scarcity is high.

Agricultural crisis: Indian agriculture is heavily dependent on monsoon (not dependable) + Ineffective agricultural practices in irrigated areas = Water stress in agriculture = Poor Cultivation = Farmer suicides .

Drinking water scarcity: Not only farmers are affected by the water crisis, urban dwellers in cities and towns across India are also facing a never seen before drinking water scarcity.

Conflicts over water : In India, there are conflicts between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over sharing of Cauvery waters, between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh over sharing of Narmada waters, between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over sharing of Krishna waters, etc.

What are the measures taken by the government?

Across the country, states are taking the lead:.

• In Rajasthan, there is a scheme named ‘Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan’. One of its objectives is to facilitate effective implementation of water conservation and water harvesting related activities in rural areas.
• Maharashtra has launched a project called ‘Jalyukt-Shivar’, which seeks to make 5000 villages free of water scarcity every year.
• accelerating the development of minor irrigation infrastructure,
• strengthening community-based irrigation management and
• adopting a comprehensive programme for restoration of tanks.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan:

• It is a collaborative initiative of various Union Ministries and State Governments, being coordinated by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS).
• Focus Area: is water-stressed districts (256) and blocks (1592).
• Team: Central government officers, headed by joint secretaries and additional secretaries, are assigned to these 256 districts and district administration will also select 2 members to join the team. This team of officers from the central government and district administration will visit and work on water-stressed districts and blocks to ensure water conservation initiatives.
• The campaign is centered on 5 aspects
• Water conservation and rainwater harvesting
• Renovation of traditional and other water bodies/tanks
• Reuse of water and recharging of structures like bore well
• Watershed development
• Intensive afforestation
• Significance: With this initiative, the government seeks to provide drinking water to all households on a priority and in a sustainable way. It is also expected to bring a positive mindset in people for water conservation. The campaign will assist people to work for rainwater harvesting, maintenance, and upkeep of ponds and village tanks and conservation of water.

Jal Shakti Mantralaya

• The government has created a new Ministry named ‘Jal Shakti’after merging Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation with the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
• Providing clean drinking water,
• International and inter-states water disputes,
• Namami Gange project aimed at cleaning Ganga and its tributaries, and sub-tributaries.
• The ministry will launch the government’s ambitious plan (‘Nal se Jal’ scheme under jal jivan plan) to provide piped drinking water supply to every household in India by 2024.
• This Move seeks to consolidate the administration and bringing water-related issues such as conservation, development, management, and abatement of pollution under a single ministry.
• National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD) is responsible for implementing the centrally sponsored national river conservation plan for all rivers across the country except river Ganga and its tributaries (as issues regarding Ganga and its tributaries are taken up by National Mission for Clean Ganga).

Jal Jeevan Mission *

Atal Bhujal Yojana *

•  It is a world bank funded central scheme that aims to improve groundwater management at the national level… Read More .

Can a new water ministry tackle the worst water crisis in Indian history?

• Experts are of the opinion that an exclusive ministry can only bring about a cosmetic but not a real change.
• Water is a state subject = Unless states make specific requests the centre cannot intervene.

What are the solutions to the water crisis in India?

Good water management practices :

• India receives adequate annual rainfall through the south-west monsoon. However, most regions of the country are still water deficient mainly because of inefficient water management practices.
• Rainwater harvesting should be encouraged on a large scale, especially, in cities where the surface runoff of rainwater is very high.
• Roof-top rainwater harvesting can also be utilised to recharge groundwater by digging percolation pits around the house and filling it with gravel.
• Indian cities need to learn from Cape Town of South Africa which when faced with the water crisis in 2018 had announced “ Day Zero “. During that day, water-taps in the city turned off = people had to use communal water-taps to conserve water. Restrictions on water use per person were also fixed.
• Since water is a state subject in India state governments should take active measures and create awareness for the minimal use of water.

Interlinking of rivers :

• Interlinking of rivers is a topic that has been discussed and debated for several years as a possible permanent solution to the water crisis in the country.
• The 3 primary advantages mentioned in favour of the scheme are (1) droughts will never occur (2) there will be no more floods in the major rivers and (3) an additional 30,000 MW of hydropower will be generated.

Coordination in aquifer usage: There is an urgent need for coordination among users for aquifers. There should be laws and contracts for sharing of aquifers. Groundwater aquifer mapping has started only recently in India which is a welcome step.

River basin authority: There should be a River Basin Authority for sharing information among states since most of the rivers in India pass through different states.

Coordinated efforts among states for management of groundwater at a localized level.

Community-level management: At the village level, there can be decentralized management of water at the community level.

Charging money for efficient use of water (like electricity). For example- Water ATMs at Marathwada provide water @25 paisa per litre a day.

Good Cultivation practices:

• Changing the cropping pattern, crop diversification and encouraging water use efficiency in agriculture by moving towards food crops from cash crops.
• Innovative farming practices like precision farming , zero budget natural farming , etc. could be employed for efficient water utilisation.

Incentive-based water conservation in rural parts of the water-stressed regions is another solution.

• For example, if a particular level of groundwater level is maintained, higher MSP can be provided to the farmers of that region.
• MSP can also be provided based on crop’s water usage = Crops that consume a high amount of water will get less MSP.

Way forward

India is not a water deficit country, but due to severe neglect and lack of monitoring of water resource development projects, many regions in the country face water stress from time to time. Therefore balancing water demand with available supply is the need of the hour for future economic growth and development as well as for the sustenance of human life.

New National Water Policy (NWP)

In November 2019, the Ministry of Jal Shakti had set up a committee to draft the new National Water Policy (NWP). This was the first time that the government asked a committee of independent experts to draft the policy.

Highlights of NWP

1) demand-side: diversification of public procurement operations.

• Irrigation utilizes 80-90% of India’s water , most of which is used by rice, wheat, and sugarcane.
• Therefore, crop diversification is the single most crucial step in addressing India’s water crisis.
• The policy recommends diversifying public procurement operations to include Nutri-cereals, pulses, and oilseeds.
• This would incentivize farmers to diversify their cropping patterns, resulting in huge savings of water.

2) Reduce-Recycle-Reuse

• Reduce-Recycle-Reuse has been suggested as the basic mantra of integrated urban water supply and wastewater management, with the treatment of sewage and eco-restoration of urban river stretches, as far as possible via decentralised wastewater management.
• All non-potable use like flushing, fire protection, vehicle washing should mandatorily shift to treated wastewater.

3) Supply-side measure: Using technology to use stored water in dams

• Within supply-side options, the NWP points to trillions of litres stored in big dams, that are still not reaching farmers.
• NWP recommends how the irrigated areas could be considerably expanded at very low cost by using pressurised closed conveyance pipelines, in addition to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)  systems and pressurised micro-irrigation.

4) Supply of water through “nature-based solutions”

• The NWP places major importance on the supply of water via “nature-based solutions” like the rejuvenation of catchment areas, to be incentivised through compensation for ecosystem services.
• Specially curated “blue-green infrastructure” like rain gardens and bio-swales, restored rivers with wet meadows, wetlands constructed for bio-remediation, urban parks, permeable pavements, green roofs etc are suggested for urban areas.

5) Sustainable and equitable management of groundwater

• Information on  aquifer boundaries , water storage capacities and flows provided in a user-friendly manner to stakeholders, assigned as custodians of their aquifers, would allow them to create protocols for effective management of groundwater.

6) Rights of Rivers

• The NWP accords river protection and revitalisation prior and primary importance.
• Steps to restore river flows include: Re-vegetation of catchments, regulation of groundwater extraction, river-bed pumping and mining of sand and boulders.
• The NWP outlines a process to draft a  Rights of Rivers Act,  including their right to flow, to meander and to meet the sea.

7) Emphasis on water quality

• The new NWP considers water quality as the most serious un-addressed issue in India today.
• It proposes that every water ministry, at the Centre and states,  include a water quality department.
• The policy advocates adoption of state-of-the-art, low-cost, low-energy, eco-sensitive  technologies for sewage treatment.
• Widespread use of  reverse osmosis has led to huge water wastage  and adverse impact on water quality.
• The policy wants  RO units to be discouraged  if the total dissolved solids count in water is less than 500mg/L.
• It suggests a  task force on emerging water contaminants  to better understand and tackle the threats they are likely to pose.

8) Reforming governance of water

• The policy makes radical proposals for improving the governance of water, which suffers from three kinds of issues: That between irrigation and drinking water, surface and groundwater, as also water and wastewater.
• Government departments, working in silos, have generally dealt with just one side of these binaries.
• Dealing with drinking water and irrigation in silos has meant that aquifers providing assured sources of drinking water dry up because the same aquifers are used for irrigation, which consumes much more water.
• And when  water and wastewater are separated in planning,  the result is a fall in water quality.

9) Creation of National Water Commission

• The NWP also suggests the creation of a unified multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder National Water Commission (NWC), which would become an exemplar for states to follow.
• Governments should build enduring  partnerships with primary stakeholders of water , who must become an integral part of the NWC and its counterparts in the states.

How Gujarat transformed from Water-deficit state to surplus state?

• The Gujarat government created the state-level Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG) to aid in the supply of services and solutions for the deployment of map-based GeoSpatial Information Systems.
• Micro-level check dams.
• Macro-level projects particularly in the Saurashtra, Kutch, and North Gujarat areas.
• Gujarat launched the Kutch branch canal from the Narmada Main canal, which helps provide water to the most distant parts.
• Sujalam Sufalam Yojana: to irrigate the areas of North Gujarat.
• The SAUNI Yojana (Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation Yojana), which means literally “reincarnation of the Narmada River in the region,” was thus introduced.
• Administrative and Governance reforms.

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Water Crisis in Pakistan!

Water is essential to life on Earth, yet our planet is suffering a serious water crisis. Water scarcity has become an international crisis affecting millions of people around the globe and contributing to climate change, urbanization and unsustainable water management practices – including Pakistan. Amid all this turmoil is Pakistan where its own unique water crisis exists.

Rapidly rising global population:

One of the main factors contributing to our current water crisis is an ever-increasing global population . As this figure rises, so too does demand for water, needed for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and agriculture purposes. With growing populations comes increasing demands on already limited freshwater resources resulting in water scarcity across many regions.

Climate change: Another significant contributor to the water crisis, climate change has altered weather patterns with less predictable rainfall patterns and an increase in droughts and floods, further diminishing availability of water in dry and semi-arid regions with limited resources.

Urbanization and industrialization:

Water consumption by humans has also contributed significantly to the global water crisis. As more people move to cities, their demand for water increases, straining resources. Furthermore, industrial activities require large volumes of freshwater which results in overuse and depletion of freshwater sources.

Unsustainable water management strategies:

Over-extraction of groundwater, pollution of water sources. And ineffective irrigation techniques all play a part in creating the current water crisis. Such practices depleted freshwater reserves making it more challenging to meet growing demands for freshwater supplies.

Access to Clean Water is limited:

The water crisis has severe repercussions for human health, agriculture and the environment. Due to limited access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid and dysentery spread quickly through populations without access. Furthermore, agriculture – an industry which heavily consumes water resources – is particularly hard hit. Crops fail to flourish which create food shortages while farmers struggle for survival in an unforgiving landscape.

The water crisis also has environmental ramifications:

Depletion of freshwater resources leads to degradation of ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity. While impacting their functioning rivers, lakes, and wetlands that provide essential ecological services. Such as purifying drinking water supplies, controlling flood waters, providing flood control measures, or serving as habitat for aquatic species.

To address the water crisis:

There is an urgent need for a coordinated and integrated response. That takes into account all the contributing factors of this problem, including promoting water conservation and efficiency. Investing in infrastructure projects that facilitate sustainable management practices, adopting sustainable water management practices, and encouraging renewable energy sources. This may require measures such as increasing conservation efforts, investing in infrastructure investments, adopting sustainable water management practices and encouraging renewable energy production to address this complex situation.

Water conservation and efficiency measures:

Environmental water conservation involves both minimizing wastage and optimizing its use, through measures such as fixing leaky pipes, using more efficient appliances, and encouraging water-saving behavior. Investment in infrastructure such as dams, canals, or reservoirs may provide storage and distribution solutions in times of drought.

Sustainable water management practices:

At its core, water management involves balancing demand and supply, protecting sources from pollution, and encouraging more water-efficient irrigation techniques. Renewable energy sources like solar or wind power may help decrease carbon footprint of water supply systems.

Water crisis is an international challenge:

The water crisis is an impending global threat that requires immediate attention. It stems from multiple factors including population growth, climate change, urbanization and unsustainable water management practices. Addressing the water crisis requires a multidisciplinary and holistic strategy including conservation/efficiency initiatives, infrastructure investments and renewable energy promotion; only together can we overcome it and ensure its sustainable future for all.

Pakistan: Water crisis and Pakistan

Pakistan is among the countries most affected by the water crisis. Being predominantly arid and semi-arid with limited water resources. And with population growth fuelling increased demand for water sources; climate change resulting in unpredictable rainfall leading to droughts and floods only compounding this situation further.

Agriculture Sector in Pakistan: The agriculture sector accounts for over 90 per cent of total water usage. Unfortunately, inefficient irrigation techniques such as flood irrigation have resulted in significant wastage of water resources. And have resulted in the depletion of aquifers leading to decreased availability.

Implications of water crisis:

Pakistan’s water crisis has had far-reaching repercussions for human health, agriculture and the environment. A lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities has resulted in waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid and dysentery sweeping through. Water scarcity also threatens agriculture which relies heavily on freshwater supplies. Leading to crop failures and food shortages while depletion of freshwater sources has degraded ecosystems and reduced biodiversity levels significantly.

How can Pakistan address its water shortage issue?

There is an urgent need for an integrated approach that encompasses water conservation and efficiency initiatives, investing in infrastructure development projects, adopting sustainable water management practices and encouraging renewable energy sources.

Promoting water conservation and efficiency measures, such as using efficient irrigation techniques, can reduce water waste. Investing in infrastructure such as dams, canals, and reservoirs can aid with water storage and distribution during periods of drought. Adopting sustainable management practices such as groundwater recharge can replenish aquifers to ensure sustainable usage of groundwater resources while encouraging renewable energy sources such as solar-powered pumps can help lower carbon footprint of supply systems.

Pakistan has taken several measures to address its water crisis:

Such as the National Water Policy of 2018 which seeks to ensure sustainable use of water resources. Furthermore, the government has initiated various water management projects, such as building the Diamer-Bhasha dam which increases storage capacity while simultaneously increasing hydropower generation capacity.

Urgent action must be taken immediately to combat Pakistan’s water crisis:

Pakistan faces a critical water crisis that requires urgent action from all levels of government. This issue stems from multiple factors, including population growth, climate change and unsustainable water management practices. Addressing it effectively will require taking multiple approaches such as conserving and efficiently using water resources; investing in infrastructure; adopting sustainable management practices and using renewable energy sources for renewable power production; prioritizing water issues to secure sustainable future for all Pakistanis.

Impact of Pakistan’s Water crisis:

Pakistan’s current water crisis has had serious repercussions, which include:

Agriculture: Pakistan’s economy relies heavily on its agriculture sector for food security and rising prices, yet due to the water crisis this sector has been severely hit. Crop failures and reduced yields have caused food insecurity as prices skyrocket.

Human Health: Lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities has caused an outbreak of water-borne diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery – making their prevalence an important public health risk.

Environment: Toxic chemicals from agricultural runoff have polluted freshwater resources and degraded ecosystems, leading to loss of biodiversity and reduced ecosystem services.

Energy: Pakistan’s energy sector relies heavily on hydropower generation, but has been seriously compromised by the water crisis. Less water availability has resulted in reduced hydropower generation leading to power shortages and an increase reliance on fossil fuels for generation of power.

Socio-Economic: The water crisis has contributed to increased poverty, inequality and social unrest – particularly in rural areas where agriculture provides primary employment. Competition over water resources has caused conflict which subsequently escalates social tensions further.

Overall, Pakistan’s water crisis has had an immense negative effect on socio-economic development, public health, and the environment. Addressing it requires prompt action and a comprehensive strategy encompassing water conservation/efficiency promotion/investing in infrastructure/sustainable water management practices/promote renewable energy sources/ etc.

Conclusion: mes The global water crisis affects many countries, including Pakistan. Pakistan stands out in this respect due to its arid and semi-arid climate as well as rapidly growing population. Pakistan is facing a water crisis with devastating impacts for agriculture, human health, the environment, energy consumption and socio-economic development – urgent action are required immediately to mitigate them. Addressing Pakistan’s water crisis requires taking an integrative approach that encompasses conservation and efficiency measures, investing in infrastructure improvements, adopting sustainable management practices and encouraging renewable energy use. While the government of Pakistan has made steps towards solving its crisis, more needs to be done as an international community if we hope for a brighter future for all.

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Water — The Importance of Water: The Vital Essence

The Importance of Water: The Vital Essence

• Categories: Nutrition Water

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Published: Sep 7, 2023

Words: 652 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Water and human health, environmental balance, agriculture and food security, industrial and economic significance, challenges of water scarcity and pollution, responsible water management.

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