UN Report on Groundwater Depletion

Interconnected Disaster Risk Report 2023, released by the academic arm of United Nations, reveals that 21 of the 37 world’s aquifers are depleting faster than they can be replenished.

What does the report reveal about the groundwater crisis?

Around 30% of the world’s fresh water is stored as groundwater

• Groundwater – It is an essential freshwater resource stored in underground reservoirs called “aquifers”.
• Groundwater depletion can be defined as the prolonged withdrawal of groundwater from an aquifer in quantities exceeding average annual replenishment, leading to a persistent decline in groundwater levels and volumes.
• Findings - Over 2 billion people rely on groundwater as an essential supply of drinking water.
• The regions where groundwater depletion is most severe include parts of India, north-eastern China, western US, Mexico, Iran, Saudi Arabia and parts of Northern Africa.
• India pumps up the most groundwater globally, mainly for irrigation, domestic and industrial uses.
• Some areas in the Indo-Gangetic basin region have already passed the groundwater depletion tipping point.
• In Punjab and Haryana, groundwater exploitation is reported with 78% of wells in Punjab are overexploited and the region will face critically low groundwater availability in 2025.
• 70% of groundwater withdrawals are used for agricultural purpose.
• As per the report, agricultural intensification is a major factor pushing us towards groundwater depletion risk.

What are the causes of groundwater depletion?

• Agricultural intensification- Groundwater has been used extensively in arid regions like Saudi Arabia, India (Punjab) to grow crops such as wheat and rice, leading to depletion of aquifers.
• Lack of planning- Groundwater is a limited and essential resource, but poor management of river systems and groundwater resources leads to overreliance, depletion and exploitation.
• Lack of data- Absence of data favours the practice of over extraction since it makes sustainable water management efforts more difficult to develop and monitor.
• Policy paralysis - There is a link between power subsidies and excessive groundwater extraction in some States.
• High Temperature- Hot temperatures will reduce the moisture available for recharging aquifers, especially in hard rock regions, further aggravating the depletion.

What are the impacts of groundwater depletion?

• Livelihood loss- It reduces crop yields and affects farming livelihoods who depend on groundwater for irrigation.
• Migration- Groundwater depletion exacerbates water conflicts in arid regions, such as the Sahel and Sahara, thereby causing migration or displacement.
• Health issues- Reduction in cooling effect of groundwater on land and atmosphere, and increase in humidity and wet-bulb temperatures in the air can increase the risk of unbearable heat-related illnesses.
• Food and water insecurity- It threatens food and water security for both exporting and importing countries that rely on groundwater for crop production.
• Biodiversity loss- It affects the survival of endemic species in aquifers and increase the likelihood of extinctions.
• Effect on environment - It also reduces river base flow and wetland health.

Composite Water Management Index (CWMI): NITI Aayog Weighs Discontinuing Key Water Report Launched 5 Years Ago

The Composite Water Management Index(CWMI) has been a pivotal tool in India, serving as a significant barometer for assessing states' efficacy in water management.However, recent developments have raised queries regarding its future, casting doubts on its continuity.

The Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) is launched by NITI Aayogto provide an annual snapshot of the water sector status and water management performance of the states and union territories (UTs) in India.

Genesis and Evolution of the Report:Launched in June 2018 by Niti Aayog, the CWMI's debut edition spotlighted India's water challenges, rating states based on 28 parameters, utilizing data from 2015-16 and 2016-17. The second edition launched in August 2019 was for 2017-18.

The report was a result of collaborative efforts between NITI Aayog and three key ministries: Water Resources, Drinking Water & Sanitation, and Rural Development.

Themes and Indicators:

The Index comprises nine themes (each having an attached weight) with 28 different indicators.

• • • Source augmentation and restoration of waterbodies
    • Source augmentation (Groundwater)
    • Major and medium irrigation — Supply side management
    • Watershed development — Supply side management
    • Participatory irrigation practices — Demand side management
    • Sustainable on - farm water use practices — Demand side management
    • Rural drinking water
    • Urban water supply and sanitation
    • Policy and governance

Delay in Subsequent Editions:

The NITI Aayog attributed delays in the third and fourth rounds of the CWMI to the unavailability of updated data caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.Considerations were made to combine rounds 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 to cover the years 2021-22 and 2022-23, while contemplating extending data coverage to the district level.

What is the Status of Water Resources in India?

The net amount of water that can be used in India in a year is estimated at 1,121 billion cubic meters (bcm). However, the data published by the Ministry of Water Resources shows that the total water demand will be 1,093 bcm in 2025 and 1,447 bcm in 2050.

• • This means that there will be a major water shortage in India within 10 years.

As per the Falkenmark Water Index(used for measuring water scarcity throughout the world), wherever the amount of water available per capita is below 1,700 cubic meters in a year, there is water scarcity.Going by this index, almost 76% of people are already living with water scarcity in India.