India’s Water Success Story and Challenges

Why in News?

The Recently released NFHS data reveal a contrasting picture about the water security in India.

What is the status of water security and accessibility ion India?

• Significant progress – India has made remarkable progress in expanding access to drinking water over the last decade.
• The launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in 2019 marked a watershed moment in the country's efforts to provide safe and accessible drinking water to rural households.
• Millions of homes that previously depended on wells, hand pumps, public standposts and distant water sources now possess tap-water connections within their premises.
• This achievement has significantly reduced the burden on women and children, improved public health outcomes and enhanced the quality of life in rural India.
• Existing challenge - The existence of a tap connection does not necessarily guarantee the regular availability of water.
• As India transitions from addressing "access poverty" to ensuring dependable service delivery, a new concern has emerged: "reliability poverty."
• NFHS findings – The findings from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) suggest that while infrastructure coverage has expanded rapidly, reliable water supply remains uneven across regions. This paradox has important implications for India's future water governance and climate resilience strategies.
• Major disruption hotspots were identified in, Western India, Rajasthan, Parts of the Western Ghats, Himalayan districts and Northeastern states.
• In contrast, relatively lower levels of disruption were observed across sections of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and eastern India.

Why more pipes do not always mean more water?

• Dependence on Complex Systems – Households connected to centralized water networks depend on multiple interconnected components like, Reservoirs and dams, Groundwater sources, Water treatment plants, Pumping stations, Electricity supply, Distribution pipelines.
• A failure at any stage can disrupt water delivery to thousands of households simultaneously.
• Growing Demand – Urbanization, population growth and rising living standards have significantly increased water demand.
• Existing systems often struggle to keep pace with this growing pressure.
• Groundwater Stress – Many regions depend heavily on groundwater extraction. Declining groundwater levels reduce the sustainability of supply systems and increase vulnerability during dry periods.
• Infrastructure Maintenance Deficits – While considerable investments have been made in infrastructure creation, maintenance and operational efficiency often receive less attention.
• Aging pipelines, leakages and equipment failures can compromise service reliability.
• Therefore, expanding infrastructure alone is insufficient unless accompanied by robust operation and maintenance systems.

How climate change acts as stress multiplier?

• Heatwaves – Rising temperatures increase water demand for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes while simultaneously reducing available resources.
• Erratic Rainfall – Changes in monsoon patterns affect reservoir recharge and groundwater replenishment.
• Droughts – Prolonged droughts reduce water availability and strain supply systems.
• Floods – Extreme rainfall events can damage infrastructure, contaminate water sources and disrupt distribution networks.
• Many of the water disruption hotspots identified through NFHS-5 overlap with regions experiencing climatic stress, suggesting that climate change is amplifying existing vulnerabilities.

What are the lessons from different regions?

• Karnataka and Bengaluru – The water crisis experienced in Bengaluru during 2024 highlights the difference between infrastructure and reliability.
• Despite extensive network coverage, residents faced water rationing, dependence on tankers and uncertainty regarding supply.
• Weak monsoons, declining groundwater levels and reservoir stress exposed vulnerabilities in the city's water system.
• Rajasthan and Gujarat – Both states have invested heavily in dams, canals and groundwater development projects.
• Yet many districts continue to experience chronic water stress due to, Groundwater depletion, Recurring droughts, Ecological constraints.
• These examples demonstrate that engineering solutions alone cannot guarantee sustainable water security.
• Northeastern States – The Northeast receives abundant rainfall, yet cities such as Aizawl have experienced severe water disruptions.
• Power failures, pipeline damage and treatment challenges interrupted water supply despite the availability of water resources.
• This illustrates an important principle: water availability and water accessibility are not always the same.

What are the policy implications for sustainable water security?

• Strengthening Monitoring Frameworks – Performance indicators should include, Frequency of water supply, Duration of service interruptions, Water quality, Infrastructure functionality, Source sustainability.
• Climate-Resilient Infrastructure – Water systems must be designed to withstand climate-related shocks and stresses.
• Groundwater Recharge and Watershed Management – Sustainable resource management is essential to maintain long-term water availability.
• Improving Operations and Maintenance – Adequate funding and institutional capacity for maintenance can significantly improve reliability.
• Community Participation – Local communities should play a greater role in monitoring service delivery and ensuring accountability.
• Integrated Water Resource Management – A holistic approach linking water supply, groundwater management, climate adaptation and ecosystem conservation is necessary.

What are the ethical dimensions involved?

• India’s emerging challenge of “reliability poverty” raises several ethical concerns.
• Equity and distributive justice demand that all citizens receive not only water connections but also reliable access to water.
• Environmental stewardship requires sustainable groundwater use to safeguard resources for future generations (intergenerational equity).
• Accountability and transparency are essential in ensuring that public investments under schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission translate into actual service delivery.
• Human dignity and the right to water are compromised when households face intermittent supply despite having infrastructure.
• Climate justice requires protecting vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by water scarcity and climate-induced disruptions.

What lies ahead?

• As climate variability intensifies, groundwater resources decline and dependence on centralized networks increases, India's water challenge is evolving.
• The focus must shift from merely providing connections to ensuring continuous, safe and dependable service.
• Ultimately, the success of India's water policies will not be measured solely by the number of taps installed but by whether water continues to flow reliably when households need it most.
• This transition from infrastructure provision to service assurance will define the next chapter of India's water security journey.

Reference

Down to Earth| Water Security in India