Water stress
India's population of 1.42 billion and largely rural-based economy are heavily dependent on annual monsoon rains, with water-intensive crops such as rice, wheat and sugarcane accounting for more than 80 percent of the total supply.
The monsoons themselves are prone to severe weather extremes, and rapid urbanization is shrinking water catchment areas, so even when the monsoons are good, much of the rainwater runs off into the ocean.
According to government projections, India's per capita annual water supply is about 1,486 cubic meters, but as the population grows, this is expected to fall to 1,367 cubic meters by 2031. Since 2011, India has been in a “water deficit,” defined as a per capita water supply of less than 1,700 cubic meters.
“We're now facing a crisis every year,” said Depinder Singh Kapur of the Centre for Science and Environment, an Indian research organisation.
“Previously, there were more drought years than normal, but now water crises are occurring every year and are becoming more intense.”
Private companies are also tackling the crisis.
The Vishvaraj Group said in 2020 it helped build an Rs 8.35 billion plant in Nagpur, a city of 3 million people. The plant treats 20 million litres of sewage per day and extracts 19 million litres of treated water to sell to two thermal power plants.
Founder Arun Lakhani said the freshwater released would be enough to cater to the city's population growth for the next 35 years.
Some industries are investing in wastewater recycling and rainwater harvesting to reduce their reliance on fresh water.
Tata Steel plans to reduce freshwater consumption per tonne of crude steel produced at its Indian plants to less than 1.5 cubic metres by 2030 from about 2.5 cubic metres currently. JSW Steel has a similar plan.
“Treated wastewater is going to be one of the key resources that we have to start recognising, at least to fill the gap in urban areas,” said Nitin Bassi of the Energy, Environment and Water Council, an Indian think tank.
Experts say about 90 percent of the water supplied to homes can be recycled, but water supply and sewage treatment infrastructure has not kept up with the growth of major cities, and untreated waste ends up in rivers.
The Modi government is building wastewater treatment capacity in cities to raise the current treatment rate of 44 percent and recycle more water for use in industry, agriculture and other sectors.
The government has announced that it plans to invest around Rs 3,007,470 crore between 2021 and 2026 to ensure equitable water distribution, reuse of wastewater and mapping of water bodies.