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Water Scarcity- Challenging the Future

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International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology
Citation: IJAEB: 12(3): 187-193, September 2019
DOI: 10.30954/0974-1712.08.2019.2
©2019 IJAEB All rights reserved

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Water Scarcity- Challenging the Future

D. Niruban Chakkaravarthy* and T. Balakrishnan
Department of Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India
*Corresponding author: chakkarainiruagri95@gmail.com (ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8382-2920)
Paper No. 783 Received: 09-05-2019 Revised: 06-07-2019 Accepted: 21-08-2019

ABSTRACT
The latest world water development reports (UN-Water, 2009) observe how the various global crisis
reported recently- in climate change, energy, food security, economic recession and financial turbulence-
are related to each other and have impacts on water. Water Scarcity is a growing threat to our global
economy, society and even to the survival of human beings. The crisis that we face today is mainly due
to water pollution especially in the field of agriculture. Pollution can be anything from oil, to carcasses,
to chemicals and to fecal matter, whatever the cause it majorly affects the global population. The world
is moving towards a direction where water is becoming costly hence not affordable by the majority of
people. As far as India is concerned it is gifted with many water bodies but due to improper management
and unscientific industrial development. We are staring at the increase in the death of rivers. Erratic
development plans mean our future generation is in major threat, sustainable development plans mean
our future generation is saved from such major threat, sustainable development is the hour of need.
Apart from government policies, the change needs to come from the grass-root level. This paper deals
with water use and savings for the future. It also highlights the importance and threats of water scarcity
and the challenges that will be faced by future generations.

Highlights
mm Erratic development goals have endangered the future generation.
mm Threats of water scarcity and its challenges.
Keywords: Global population, Food security, Pollution, Sustainability, Water scarcity

Water is life because plants, animals, human beings population of the developing world will face severe
and any other living organisms cannot live without water shortages (Seckler et al. 1998). Yet, even in
water. Water is needed to ensure food security, many water-scarce regions, large amounts of water
feed livestock, and take up industrial production annually flood out to the sea. However, in many
and to conserve the biodiversity and environment. cases, the floodwater is not fully utilized; and, of
The fresh water is the only available sources for all course, the floods themselves can do a great deal
activities such as drinking, industries agricultural all of harm. More than two billion people worldwide
other purposes. Although India is not a water-poor live in regions facing water scarcity and in India,
country, due to the growing human population, this is a particularly acute crisis. Millions of Indians
severe neglect and over-exploitation of this resource, currently lack access to clean drinking water, and
water is becoming a scarce commodity. While this the situation is only getting worse. India’s demand
is a growing concern all over the world, India is for water is growing at an alarming rate. India
most vulnerable because of the growing demand currently has the world’s second-largest population,
and in-disciplined lifestyle. This calls for immediate which is expected to overtake China’s by 2050 when
attention by the stakeholders to make sustainable it reaches a staggering 1.6 billion, putting increasing
use of the available water resources to ensure a strain on water resources as the number of people
better quality of lives. By 2025, one-third of the grows. Since the balance between water demand
 Chakkaravarthy and Balakrishnan

and water availability has reached critical levels in agriculture production and vigorous population
many countries of the world and increased demand growth (Amarasinghe et al. 2007).
for water and every sector production is the biggest
challenge in the future, a sustainable approach to Population growth
water resource management in every sector is very The world’s population is growing at a rate of 80
essential. In this circumstance, the focus of this million people each year. This means that each
article is to provide a vision review of water scarcity year we need to find a way to add about 64 billion
causes and how it’s the affected our world society cubic meters of water to the global water supply
and what are the possible ways to overcome this India is the second-most populous country in the
problem, these things are briefly discussed. world, with more than 1 billion citizens. Roughly
half of India’s population, a staggering 569 million,
Water Scarcity and Types
practice open defecation. In the year 2030, India will
“When an individual does not have access to safe be number one in population. There are millions of
and affordable water to satisfy her or his needs people all over the world who don’t have access to
for drinking, washing or their livelihoods we call water, or, if they have access, that water is unable to
that person water insecure”. Hence, when a large be used. About 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered
number of people in an area are water insecure for with water and 3% of it is actually freshwater that
a considerable period of time, in that case, we can is fit for human consumption. According to WWF
name that area water scarce (Rijsberman 2006:6). It (world wildlife fund), some 1.1 billion people
was divided into two types which were physical worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7
and economic water scarcity (The project water). billion find water scarce for at least one month of
Physical scarcity means some area lack of water is the year.
a more profound problem. Physical access to water
is limited that demand outstrips the lands ability to Pollution of water
provide the needed water and it’s Happen in the Water pollution is a huge problem, especially when
dry part of the world or arid region (UNDP 2006). you’re looking at areas that don’t necessarily have
Economic scarcity is by far the most disturbing form a good sewage system. Pollution can be anything
of water scarcity because it is almost entirely a lack from oil, to carcasses, to chemicals, and to fecal
of consideration and good governance that allows matter. Water pollution affects the entire biosphere
the condition to continue. Economic water scarcity is plants and organisms living in these bodies of
about an unequal distribution of resources for many water. Water pollution is a major global problem
reasons, including political and ethnic contradiction. which requires ongoing evaluation and revision
of water resource policy at all levels. In view of
Reasons for Water Scarcity
population increase, the demand for freshwater for
Water scarcity is one of the greatest challenges of the all the uses will be unmanageable. According to the
twenty-first century. Overpopulation, Agriculture, status of water quality in India (2011), it is estimated
Pollution of water and improper government that the projected wastewater from urban centres
policies are the important reasons for water scarcity. may cross 1,00,000 mld (millions of litter per day)
FAO reported agriculture, encompassing crops, by 2050 and rural India will also generate not less
livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, and forestry, is than 50,000 mld in view of water supply designs
both a cause and a victim of water scarcity. It for community supplies in rural areas.
accounts for an estimated 70 percent of global water
withdrawals, while competition with other sectors Agriculture use
for water is increasing. Ninety percent of total water resources used in
Climate change also affects freshwater resources agriculture. Eighty percent of groundwater goes
negatively, in terms of both quantity and quality. to irrigation and agricultural purposes. While
Particularly the demand for water in India is agriculture is one of our countries most significant
steeply increasing because of several reasons, such water users some innovative solutions have been
as urbanisation, Industrialisation, more water for developed to improve water use efficiency and

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 Water Scarcity- Challenging the Future

maintain or even increase yields. In below fig Effects of water scarcity

explained how water was used by agriculture in
There is a growing body of research that asserts
various formats. In the future, the demand for
again strongly the importance of water in regards to
food is highly expected, with a direct effect on
geopolitical stability. Human health and agricultural
agricultural water usage. In addition, as a result
concerns are also of great importance. Leaders use
of the increased water scarcity and drought due
to access to water as a political tool or as a way to
to climate change (Jiménez Cisneros et al. 2014),
consolidate political power. It creates various effects
extensive water use for irrigation is expected to
on the livelihoods of millions of farmers and highly
occur in the context of increasing competition
affects the ecosystem of a country.
between agriculture and other sectors of the
economy. In order to cope with future estimates Lack of drinking water
of water shortages, some measures aimed at
streamlining and optimizing the efficiency of water The availability of total freshwater resources in the
consumption in the agricultural sector are critical world are estimated to be in the order of 43,750
in view of the large volumes of water required km3 year−1, distributed throughout the world; at
for the production of crops. Irrigation is used to the continental level, America has the largest share
replace losses due to crop evapotranspiration and of the world’s total freshwater resources, with
to achieve full production under the given growing 45%, followed by Asia with 28%, Europe with
environment (Doorenbos, 1977). 16%, and Africa with 9%. In terms of resources per
inhabitant in each continent, America has 24,000 m3
Consum
mptive U
Use of Abstracte
A ed year−1, Europe 9300 m3 year−1, Africa 5000 m3 year−1
W
Water and Asia 3400 m3 year−1. Clean drinking water is
scarce and there are millions of people and other
Agricculture (93%)
organisms across this globe who spend their entire
Dommestic and otheer Industrial (77%)
day searching for it. Yet, people who have access
to safe, clean drinking water take it for granted and
don’t use it wisely. Water scarcity involves water
crisis, water shortage, water deficit or water stress.
The biggest problem that happens when you have
water scarcity is that people are not able to get fresh,
Fig. 1 clean drinking water.
Source: Word bank- Word bank-Wold Development Report-2010.
Hunger
Government policies
Non-availability of water leads to low production
In some countries, specifically those with which ends in hunger and poverty. Animals will
dictatorships, the use of water may be strictly also die, which will result in a lack of meat as
controlled by those in power, causing a scarcity well. Water scarcity, in short, causes starvation to
for those who may be located in those areas of the occur as a group for both people and animals that
world. These governments use it as a source of are located in the area.
control over those that they are governing, which
can be a huge problem. Proper policies are making Lack of Education
by government and strict the rules which are the Water scarcity makes it difficult for people to get
ways to reduce the water scarcity. Government the education that they need or that they deserve.
policies are playing a major role in reducing the Why? Mainly, because those children are either too
water scarcity problems and the government should sick to go to school or they are working to help
initiate the water-related activities such as project, get water to the home and the family. Cairncross
awareness programmes to know the importance of et al. (1987) highlighted that villagers in a study
water conservation so the country able is to avoid community without a close water supply stated
over-exploitation of water. that they often “cooked little, and only once a day,

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 Chakkaravarthy and Balakrishnan

Fig. 2: Demand and supply of water in India (forecast) In BCM (2008, 2030)

Notes: 1. Water supply for 2008 is Narsimhan’s estimate of 650, while the planning commission estimate is 1,123, as represented by the
dashed by the portion of the graph; 2. Demand for 2008 is based on the planning commission’s estimates; 3. Supply and demand for 2030 are
projections by McKinsey and Water Resources Group (WRG).
Sources: Dalberg analysis; CWC Water & Related Statistics 2013; FAO & UNICEF, Water in India 2013; McKinsey & WRG, ‘Charting
our water future’, 2009; World Bank’ Times of India.

because of the lack of water”. In the same study, the unsafe water (UNICEF 2006). In countries with
findings provide a detail that the community with high infant mortality rates, the lack of access to
better water access had a prevalence of trachoma of clean water and sanitation kills more children than
19% versus 38% in the community without ready pneumonia, malaria, and HIV and AIDS combined.
access to water. The authors concluded that hygiene Half of the world’s hospital beds are engrossed
practices and hygiene-related health outcomes by people distressing from waterborne diseases.
appeared directly related to how far the water Hygiene and sanitation also help to control many
source is from a household. Time spent collecting non-fatal diseases which afflict young children,
water has also been found to be associated with such as intestinal parasites, blinding trachoma, and
significant “coping costs and the people have a no impetigo. Finally, improved hygiene and sanitation
time to study and they are able to concentration have important positive impacts on the quality of
which automatically leads to lack of education and life enjoyed by children, including the benefit of
poverty. This is a mournful problem, affected by being part of a household with a greater chance of
most of the countries and lack of water is ultimately escaping poverty. The quality of life of the people
aims to lack of equity. Especially in girls, due this is affected because of water scarcity. One in nine
problem their status is highly suffered. humans on Earth suffers from chronic thirst and
diseases caused by drinking polluted water (WHO,
Sanitation and other Issues 2014). 82% of those who lack access to improved
The World Bank has identified hygiene promotion water live in rural areas, while just 18% live in
as the most cost-effective of all interventions to urban areas (WHO, 2014). In all 2.6 billion people
control high-burden diseases in the developing live in inadequate sanitary conditions (UNHDR,
world, with sanitation promotion close behind 2006). Most problems are concentrated in Africa and
(Laxminarayan, Chow and Shahid-Salles 2006). The Asia – this is where most people afflicted by thirst,
direct health consequences of poor hygiene and malnutrition and associated illnesses live.
sanitation are generally well known. It is estimated Poor access to water and sanitation also has
that nearly 5000 children die every day from the important knock-on effects in terms of the attainment
effects of diarrhoeal illnesses, 90 per cent of which of educational goals, particularly for girls (DFID
are attributable to poor hygiene, sanitation and 2007). Girls stay away from school because it is seen
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 Water Scarcity- Challenging the Future

Fig. 3

as their job to bring in water. Also, they are kept Not having adequate water or sanitation is
away from school for want of sanitation facilities thus, seen as a characteristic of less developed
when menstruating. Intestinal worms, spread by countries. The World Bank (1992: 11) and Shafik
poor sanitation, also inhibit cognitive development, (1994), report negative relationships between per
and illnesses due to poor hygiene and sanitation capita GDP and percentage of the population not
prevent children from attending school. The United having access to water supply and sewerage.
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF 1999) found
that improved school sanitation boosted girls’ Reducing the Water Scarcity
school attendance by 11 per cent in Bangladesh – a The water supply in India is going to be a serious
degree of impact that is likely to be as significant challenge due to various reasons. The most serious
as major educational reform. A Water Aid Tanzania concern is the growing population which is likely to
(2002) study found that school attendance rose by increase to 1.66 billion by 2050. With the increasing
12 per cent when safe water was made available population, the annual food requirement in the
fifteen minutes rather than one hour away from country will exceed 250 million tons. Increasing the
children’s homes. Additionally, children queuing water storage capacity has been one of the ways to
for inadequate communal toilets at school or near mitigate water scarcity. Rain water harvesting is
home miss out on classwork or homework. And, in one of the key features to overcome this problem.
some instances, teachers have been found to resist Multiplied the farm ponds, percolation tanks, water
being posted to communities which lack adequate reservoirs and construction of small and medium-
sanitation. Without access to clean water, there is no size dams and rivers can ensure the ground water
way to clean food, dishes, or people. When people as well as surface water. The prime important
are not given access to proper sanitation, disease elucidation is to entwine of rivers will help in
ends up becoming much more of an issue than it forestall floods while enhancing water distribution
would have been otherwise. It also causes mental in the country and reforestation of degraded
health issues, including depression and anxiety. forests and development of wastelands through
afforestation will help in soil and water conservation
Poverty
(IDSA, 2010).
All in all, people who are dealing with water
scarcity are often stuck in poverty as well. Most National Water Policy
of the countries are now a day suffered this India had revised the NWP in 2002 with the
issue. Water is the biggest resource to enhance following salient features (Government of India,
the growth and economy of every nation. 2009. Establishment of National and State level
Water scarcity sees it as a symptom of poverty. data banks to monitor the demand and supply.

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 Chakkaravarthy and Balakrishnan

These are some key points for facilitation for the increase by over 50%, the supply will increase only
transformation of available water resources into by 5-10% during the next 12-15 years. This will lead
utilizable water and non-conventional methods to water scarcity situation and most of the people,
for efficient water use. Supply of water from water particularly those who are dependent on agriculture
surplus areas to water shortage areas. Judicious and living in poverty will suffer the most.
allocation of water for different uses and pricing Finally, increasing the water storage capacity,
of water is to ensure sustainable development. efficient irrigation practices, watershed development,
Regulation on groundwater exploitation and control of water pollution, desalination of sea water,
close monitoring of water table using modern research and development for respected areas
scientific techniques Sustainability of existing water of effective way for reducing the water scarcity.
bodies, involving all the stakeholders and local Rainwater harvesting is the most important much-
communities. The master plan for flood control is needed practice in the current situation. It is a
which mean linking different rivers and promoting technique of collection and storage of rainwater
soil conservation measures. Reduces strain on into natural reservoirs or tanks, or the infiltration
Special Village Panchayats/ Municipal / Municipal of surface water into subsurface aquifers (before
Corporation water supply. it is lost as surface runoff). It is the perfect time
for reconstruct the policy and preventing the war
Agriculture Sector
because of water scarcity.
More food less water is a very important focus
approach of current situation in agriculture. In the CONCLUSION
agricultural sector, one of the important components This paper attempted to investigate and discuss
is an improvement in water usage efficiency and the details about water scarcity and its problem
adoption of rainwater harvesting and watershed and how to overcome this problem because the
management techniques. Another aspect in the world, as well as India, has an alarming situation
agricultural sector reduction of subsidies on power due to this problem. In World, in some of places
supply particularly for pumping water which of worlds are announced by unfit place for living
leads to prevention of groundwater exploitation any organism. So, within this concern this paper
by introducing differential pricing, rewards, and highlights the alarming situation of water scarcity,
punishments. Implementation of National River particularly the developing sector like industries,
Link project which aims to connect 30 rivers and agriculture productions go down due to water
canals to generates 175 trillion litres of water. shortage. It will create a huge impact on country’s
economy. Sustainable action and strong polices are
Industrial Sector emergently needed to overcome this situation. So
The industrial sector is one Encourage recycling only we will able to save our future.
and treatment of industrial wastewater through In this current scenario, appropriate action is
regulations and subsidies. Encourage the needed to prevent this crisis by making best use of
introduction of new technologies which consume innovative technologies and resources to conserve
less water. the remaining water sources. Agriculture, industry
and domestic are the major sectors consumed more
Domestic Sector quantity of available water. So, the regulatory bodies
In the domestic sector, Introduction of a policy such as governments and organisations are forming
for mandatory rainwater harvesting in cities and the strong regulatory measures should prevent
Propagation of efficient water usage and creation the misuse of water and introducing rewards and
of awareness about water conservation among the punishment to encourage judicious use of water,
common public which is strengthening the water will be helpful to conserve water. Finally, create
policy. awareness and conduct the various programmes
can able to understand the real situation of water
Augmentation of Water Resources scarcity, So, the people are able to manage the
While the consumption of water in India will situation and change their lifestyle.

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 Water Scarcity- Challenging the Future

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