Social Action Project

Topic - Water Depletion Awareness

Action
 Previous works and rally organized for water scarcity.
 Individuals’ involvement
 Foundations involved in campaigns.
 Reason for water depilation
1. Increasing Population
2. Industrial Usage
 The water man of India Rajendra Singh – Alwar, Rajasthan
 The effects of water depletion on soil.
 What happens if ground water run out?
 Innovations to prevent and save water.
 Reduce water consumption in Industry.
 World leaders’ action on water Scarcity.
 Indian Government (Jal Jeevan Mission)
 Ground water depletion level in each state
 Nongovernment Organization
1. FORCE
2. Safe water network
3. We are water
 Water Resources Project
1. Indian rivers interlinking Projects
 Water Crisis in Chennai
 Infrastructure Issues
1. River Pollution
2. Ground water Extraction and irrigation
3. Wastage of water
1)
Rally for Rivers is a movement to save India’s lifelines. Sadhguru
launched Rally for Rivers on September 3, 2017 to revitalize India’s
rapidly depleting rivers, and personally drove over 9300 kms through
16 states to raise awareness about the dire situation.

Drawing thousands of people at over 180 public events, the Rally

became the largest public-endorsed, mass awareness campaign in
history. Supported by over 162 million people, Rally for Rivers is the
world’s largest ecological movement today.

Rally for Rivers provides a comprehensive solution to save India’s rivers,

and is unique in its structure as a primarily economic program with a
significant ecological impact.

The “Revitalization of Rivers in India” Draft Policy Recommendation was

handed over by Sadhguru to Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
after the culmination of the launch campaign on October 2, 2017.

Rally for Rivers is now focusing on rapid implementation of the solution

through detailed studies and on-the-ground action in several states.

2)
A massive rally with an aim to create awareness on water conservation
was organised by the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of
Women. The rallyists carried out the messages on the concepts of Jal
Shakti Abhiyan.
The rally saw the participation of government staff, self-help group
members numbering around 1,000 and it was flagged off at Esanya
Gounds in Tiruvannamalai by District Collector K.S. Kandasamy.
The rallyists distributed pamphlets with messages on water
conservation techniques and its implementation at various levels. The
rally passed through municipal bus standand culminated at the taluk
office. The participants took a pledge to save water, plant tree saplings
and take efforts to preserve rainwater in storage tanks and waterbodies
in their respective villages and towns.

In his address, the Collector said that the district had been facing severe
groundwater depletion due to repeated deficient monsoon.

The district administration has initiated steps to recharge wells

construction and create rainwater harvesting strictures to save water.

3)
Reasons behind water scarcity in India

Water scarcity is mostly man-made due to excess population growth

and mismanagement of water resources. Some of the major reasons for
water scarcity are:
Inefficient use of water for agriculture. India is among the top growers
of agricultural produce in the world and therefore the consumption of
water for irrigation is among the highest. Traditional techniques of
irrigation cause maximum water loss due to evaporation, drainage,
percolation, water conveyance, and excess use of groundwater. As
more areas come under traditional irrigation techniques, the stress on
water available for other purposes will continue. The solution lies in the
extensive use of micro-irrigation techniques such as drip and sprinkler
irrigation.
Reduction in traditional water recharging areas. Rapid construction is
ignoring traditional water bodies that have also acted as groundwater
recharging mechanisms. We need to urgently revive traditional aquifers
while implementing new ones.
Sewage and wastewater drainage into traditional water bodies.
Government intervention at the source is urgently required if this
problem is to be tackled.
Release of chemicals and effluents into rivers, streams, and ponds.
Strict monitoring and implementation of laws by the government,
NGOs, and social activists are required.
Lack of on-time de-silting operations in large water bodies that can
enhance water storage capacity during monsoon. It is surprising that
the governments at state levels have not taken this up on priority as an
annual practice. This act alone can significantly add to the water
storage levels.
Lack of efficient water management and distribution of water between
urban consumers, the agriculture sector, and industry. The government
needs to enhance its investment in technology and include all
stakeholders at the planning level to ensure the optimization of existing
resources.

Urban nightmare

The problem has been compounded with increased concretization due

to urban development that has led to the depletion of groundwater
resources. Water is neither being recharged nor stored in ways that
optimize its use while retaining the natural ingredients of water. In
addition, the entry of sewage and industrial waste into water bodies is
severely shrinking the availability of potable water. Marine life is mostly
lost in these areas already. This is the genesis of a very serious
emerging crisis. If we do not understand the source of the problem, we
will never be able to find sustainable solutions.

As an example, take Hyderabad. This city of Nizams had several water

aquifers and water bodies through time. Osman Sagar and Himayat
Sagar lakes were built and have been providing drinking water to the
city for well over a hundred years. Excess migration of population to the
city coupled with unplanned construction in all directions resulted in
traditional aquifers, which existed in and around the city, being
blocked.

There are over 4800 bore wells operated by the state-owned

HMWS&SB that have been drawing groundwater. The levels have now
fallen significantly. If the groundwater cannot recharge, the supply will
get only get worse. The demand for water continues to grow while the
collection, storage, regeneration, and distribution have become
overstressed. The story repeats itself across urban centers in India.

Solutions to overcome water scarcity problems

Absolutely!

A simple addition of a ‘water free’ male urinal in our homes can save
well over 25,000 liters of water, per home per year. The traditional
flush dispenses around six liters of water per flush. If all male members
including boys of the house use the ‘water free urinal’ instead of pulling
the traditional flush, the collective impact on the demand for water will
reduce significantly. This must be made mandatory by law and followed
up by education and awareness both at home and school.
The amount of water that is wasted during dish washing at home is
significant. We need to change our dish washing methods and minimize
the habit of keeping the water running. A small step here can make a
significant saving in water consumption.
Every independent home/flat and group housing colony must have rain
water harvesting facility. If efficiently designed and properly managed,
this alone can reduce the water demand significantly.
Waste water treatment and recycling for non-drinking purposes.
Several low cost technologies are available that can be implemented in
group housing areas.
Very often, we see water leaking in our homes, in public areas and
colonies. A small steady water leak can cause a loss of 226,800 liters of
water per year! Unless we are aware and conscious of water wastage
we will not be able to avail the basic quantity of water that we need to
carry on with our normal lives.
How is the Government tackling the situation?

The Government has launched many initiatives like Jal Shakti Abhiyan
(JSA), Catch the Rain Campaign, National Perspective Plan for Water
Resources, and Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)-Har Ghar Jal.
Under the JSA, it was the government’s goal to improve water
availability and even improve the groundwater conditions in the 256
marked water-stressed districts in India. States like Punjab and Haryana
have been facing extreme stress on their groundwater level, the water
has receded 9.2 meters which is the highest among all the states in the
country.
In 2021, the catch the rain campaign was introduced by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi which aims to conserve Rainwater in all the districts of
the country.
The current regime has also been implementing schemes like Jal Jeevan
Mission in which the Central government along with the State
government wants to provide potable and adequate water to every
rural household including the tribal areas in the country with a tap
connection by 2024.

The causes of water scarcity are aplenty. However, we must first

understand the term water scarcity.
Water scarcity refers to the situation where potable, unpolluted water
is lower than the demand in a region.

According to recent reports, nearly 1.2 billion people lack access to

clean drinking water. Furthermore, water shortages can cause a variety
of illnesses which can range from food poisoning to cholera.

Typically, water scarcity is driven by two important factors – which are

the increasing use of freshwater and the depletion of usable freshwater
resources. Furthermore, scarcity can be of two types – physical water
scarcity and economic water scarcity. Physical water scarcity is caused
when a natural water resource is unable to meet the demands of a
particular region. Economic water scarcity is caused by the
mismanagement of sufficiently available water resources. However,
there are a lot more causes of water shortage:

Major Causes of Water Scarcity

Following are some of the major causes of water shortage:

Climate change
Natural calamities such as droughts and floods
Increased human consumption
Overuse and wastage of water
A global rise in freshwater demand
Overuse of aquifers and its consequent slow recharge
Water Stress
When an individual is water-stressed, it implies that there is no
sufficient access to potable water. An estimated 1.1 billion people are
under water stress. In countries such as Africa, a large percentage of
individuals have no easy access to fresh water. One of the most
common methods of acquiring freshwater is by digging holes in
riverbeds.

The scarcity of water can also cause water pollution. For instance, if
inadequate water is available for sanitation, water gets polluted
through the introduction of disease-causing pathogens. In fact, 88% of
all water-borne diseases are caused this way. Furthermore, water
scarcity can cause an imbalance in the ecosystem. Food chains are
affected, and biodiversity is harmed.

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 temporals 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.
Nearly half of the country (around 600 million people) face severe
water scarcity with around 2 lakh people dying every year due to
inadequate access to potable water.
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 120th 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.
The Telangana government has launched a mission called Mission
Kakatiya, the objective of which is to increase the agriculture-based
income for small and marginal farmers, by
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.
‘Jal Shakti’ ministry will deal with the issues as follows:
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.
Furthermore, National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD) has been
shifted from the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate
Change to Jal shakti Ministry.
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).

Rajendra Singh, is a winner of 2001 Ramon Magsaysay Award For

Community leadership. He leads an organization, Tarun Bhagat Sangh,
which is supported by the United Nations, USIAD, and the World bank.
He was highly appreciated and recognized for the efforts he made for
harvesting rain water water by building check dams in Rajasthan. It is
because of this he is popularly known as the 'Jal Pusush' or the 'Water
man of Rajasthan'

The volume of ground water in storage is decreasing in many areas of

the United States in response to pumping. Ground-water depletion is
primarily caused by sustained ground-water pumping. Some of the
negative effects of ground-water depletion include increased pumping
costs, deterioration of water quality, reduction of water in streams and
lakes, or land subsidence. Such effects, while variable, happen to some
degree with any ground-water use. As with other natural resources,
society must weigh the benefits against the consequences of such use.
In order to provide the scientific information needed for informed
decisions, these effects must be observed over time to determine their
impact.

What Are Some Effects Of Ground-Water Depletion?

If intensive pumping from an aquifer continues, then adverse effects
may occur.
Water-well problems Declining ground-water levels have three main
effects on water wells. First, as the depth to water increases, the water
must be lifted higher to reach the land surface. As the lift distance
increases, so does the energy required to drive the pump. Thus, power
costs increase as ground-water levels decline. Depending on the use of
the water and the energy costs, it may no longer be economically
feasible to use water for a given purpose. Second, ground-water levels
may decline below the bottom of existing pumps, necessitating the
expense of lowering the pump, deepening the well, or drilling a deeper
replacement well. Third, the yield of the well may decline below usable
rates.

Ground-water budgets before and after development of the Gulf

Coastal Plain aquifer system (all flows in cubic feet per second). The
large withdrawals from the aquifers have been balanced by
increases in recharge to the aquifer system and decreases in
storage and discharge from the aquifer system (modified from
Williamson and Grubb, 2001).
 Reduced surface-water flows In most areas, the surface- and ground-
water systems are intimately linked. Ground-water pumping can alter
how water moves between an aquifer and a stream, lake, or wetland by
either intercepting ground-water flow that discharges into the surface-
water body under natural conditions, or by increasing the rate of water
movement from the surface-water body into an aquifer. In either case,
the net result is a reduction of flow to surface water, though the full
effect may take many years to develop.

A related effect of ground-water pumping is the lowering of ground-

water levels below the depth that streamside or wetland vegetation
needs to survive. The overall effect is a loss of riparian vegetation and
wildlife habitat.
Subsidence Land subsidence is “a gradual settling or sudden sinking of
the Earth’s surface owing to subsurface movement of earth materials.”
Though several different earth processes can cause subsidence, more
than 80 percent of the subsidence in the United States is related to the
withdrawal of ground water (Galloway and others, 1999).

Deterioration of water quality Coastal aquifers tend to have

wedgeshaped zones of saltwater underlying the potable freshwater.
Under natural conditions the boundary between the freshwater and
saltwater tends to be relatively stable, but pumping can cause saltwater
to migrate inland, resulting in saltwater contamination of the water
supply. Inland aquifers can experience similar problems where
withdrawal of good-quality water from the upper parts of inland
aquifers can allow underlying saline water to move upward and
degrade water quality. Additionally, where ground water is pumped
from an aquifer, surface water of poor or differing quality may be
drawn into the aquifer. This can degrade the water quality of the
aquifer directly or mobilize naturally occurring contaminants in the
aquifer.

India relies on groundwater irrigation to produce staple grain crops that

provide over half of the calories consumed by its over 1.3 billion
people. While groundwater has helped India achieve grain self-
sufficiency, aquifers have been overexploited across much of the
country and its implications for crop production are unclear. To
understand how groundwater depletion affects staple grain (wheat,
rice, maize, pearl millet, and sorghum) production in India, we ran
district-level panel regressions using agricultural census, groundwater
observation, and gridded weather datasets over a ten-year study period
(2004–2013). We find that nationally, declining groundwater levels are
associated with significant reductions in yield, cropped area, and
production for wheat, rice, and maize in the winter season. Despite the
negative impacts of groundwater depletion on crop production, we find
little evidence that farmers are switching from planting more water-
intensive to less water-intensive grains. Using profit-based decision
modeling, we further investigated the effects of agricultural energy
prices on crop choice in the monsoon season across Haryana and
Punjab, which are responsible for over 60% of India's grain production,
have high electricity subsidies, and have rapidly depleting water tables.
We find that eliminating energy subsidies for groundwater pumping
would likely not encourage farmers to switch to planting less water-
intensive crops, though sensitivity analyses suggest that it could
encourage the adoption of increased water conservation efforts. In
summary, our analyses reveal a discernable impact of groundwater
depletion on crop production in India and suggest that reducing or
removing energy subsidies may largely affect water use but not crop
choice.
55
What is Groundwater Depletion?
Groundwater depletion is a serious threat to the environment. The
majority of our bodies and the Earth is made up of water. We may see
the beautiful, flowing surface waters that make up the oceans, lakes
and rivers, but this water is not always safe for consumption and is
much more difficult to filter than groundwater. Consequently, water
from the ground is especially valuable.

Groundwater is something that we need all over the world. Humans

and animals need water in order to survive as our bodies could not
function without it. We also need water to assist us in growing crops,
powering equipment, and to keep us comfortable. Societies require
much more clean water than we are afforded from precipitation and
surface water, which is why groundwater is used so frequently.

If you were to see groundwater moving, you’ll likely find it interesting

that so much water lies beneath us. From a bird’s eye view, you may
even feel that there is more than enough water to go around. While we
know that groundwater shortage is a serious issue, we should also
know how water naturally finds its way into the aquifers we extract it
from.

woman-draws-water-from-tubewell-groundwater-depletion

Nature goes through a unique process to provide us with groundwater.

The surface water that we can see is heated by the Sun and goes into
the atmosphere as evaporation. Water vapor then creates
precipitation, water that falls from the sky as rain and snow. Once
water falls from sky and onto the ground, it is absorbed into the Earth
and is then stored as groundwater in aquifers.

Causes of Groundwater Depletion

1. Groundwater depletion most commonly occurs because of the

frequent pumping of water from the ground. We pump the water more
quickly than it can renew itself, leading to a dangerous shortage in the
groundwater supply. As a growing world with a population that
continues to rise, the more we pump water from the ground at a rapid
rate, the more difficult it is for the groundwater to provide us with the
amount of water that we need.

2. We continuously pump groundwater from aquifers and it does not

have enough time to replenish itself. Water flows freely through the
saturated rocks known as aquifers. There are large and small aquifers,
and they are the underground water reserves that absorb water and
hold it, enabling us to pump it for use.

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The amount of water that aquifers hold is beyond impressive and can
provide us with billions of gallons of water per day. While this amount
of water seems plentiful, groundwater is a major contributor to the
Earth’s freshwater supply and is responsible for providing up to 40% of
freshwater in the world. Therefore, it doesn’t have the ability to
recollect quickly enough to be continually sourced for our use.

3. Agricultural needs require a large amount of groundwater. It’s

frightening to think that there isn’t very much groundwater left when
you consider how much water we use on a daily basis to support our
population of billions and our personal lifestyles. A large amount of
groundwater goes to farming, but the availability of groundwater is
steadily declining.

Without it, it will be extremely difficult to provide drinking water and

water for crops and animals that would help communities during times
of drought. The less water that is available, the less food we have and
we will be faced with the issue of great demand and very little supply.

4. Groundwater depletion can also occur naturally. The problems we

would face with freshwater shortage is sure to cause problems in every
aspect of our lives. The activities that lead to groundwater depletion
come mostly from humans, but a portion of it also comes from changes
in our climate and can speed up the process.

Effects of Groundwater Depletion

1. Groundwater depletion will force us to pump water from deeper
within the Earth. The more we extract groundwater right below the
Earth’s surface, the further down we have to go in order to get more.
As we have to extract water from deeper within the Earth, we find that
there is less water available. Consequently, we will have to use even
more resources to develop alternative methods to reach further into
the ground.

2. Large bodies of water will become more shallow from groundwater

depletion. A groundwater shortage keeps additional water from flowing
into lakes, rivers and seas. This means that over time, less water will
enter as the existing surface water continues to evaporate. As the
water becomes less deep, it will affect everything in that particular
region, including fish and wildlife.

3. Saltwater contamination can occur. We may pump groundwater

instead of sourcing it from lakes and rivers, but that doesn’t mean that
it isn’t connected to larger bodies of water. Groundwater that is deep
within the ground often intermingles with saltwater that we shouldn’t
drink. When freshwater mixes with saltwater, it is called saltwater
contamination. This sort of contamination would raise the prices of
drinking water for everyone because it will cost much more to pump
and filter.

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4. As large aquifers are depleted, food supply and people will suffer.
The depletion of the Colorado River and the Ogallala aquifer serve as
examples of large groundwater reserves that are being depleted,
despite how necessary they are to our economy and well-being. The
Ogallala aquifer has been collecting groundwater for thousands of
years, and its water resources have to be shared among farmers and
citizens.

Water from the Ogallala aquifer is used for irrigation throughout the
Great Plains. So much water is being taken from this aquifer that there
is no time for it to refill. Unfortunately, strict orders are not in place to
regulate how much water can be pumped from this reservoir, which
could have a devastating effect on the crops and people who live there.

5. A lack of groundwater limits biodiversity and dangerous sinkholes

result from depleted aquifers. Aquifers collect groundwater and are
extremely important. For example, the residents near the Gulf of
Mexico and Mexico City rely solely on aquifers. Wildlife, marine
animals, and agriculture continues to suffer near the Gulf of Mexico
because the Mississippi River runoff from industrial farming materials
finds its way into the water. Parts of Mexico City are falling as the water
table lowers and creates sinkholes that destroy buildings and homes.

tubewell-in-village-groundwater-depletion
Solutions to Groundwater Depletion
1. As individuals, one of the things we can do to make a difference is to
use less water for luxury purposes. We must all address the issue of
groundwater depletion. Considering the impending crisis of a mass
water shortage, everyone should do their part to use less water
whenever possible. Water is used so freely that it is often part of
outdoor decor ideas and used for major attractions, such as
amusement parks.

Throughout countless neighborhoods, large amounts of water are used

for swimming pools while water hoses are kept running to wash cars
and for other miscellaneous reasons. We conserve water when we turn
off the faucet and reduce our usage of washing machines, dishwashers
and similar appliances. Also, we save a massive amount of water by
deciding not to use water for decorative and unnecessary reasons at
home.