Water insecurity in India is threatening children’s access to safe drinking water.
By Lindsey Quinn
The world is thirsty. So thirsty, in fact, experts believe the water stress may be the defining characteristic of the 21st century.
We’re already seeing the result of water insecurity in India. Its agricultural practices are rapidly depleting the country’s groundwater; add in dramatic changes to the monsoon season – another important source of irrigation and drinking water – and you have a disaster in the making.
The results? More Indian children than ever are struggling to find safe, clean drinking water.
India makes up 16% of the world's population but only has 4% of the world's water.
The World Health Organization states that 97 million Indians lack access to safe drinking water.
And as many as 21% of the country's communicable diseases are transmitted via unclean water.
80% of India's drinking water - safe or not - comes from underground aquifers.
60% of India's irrigated agriculture comes from groundwater, much of which is pumped illegally.
The monsoon, a key source of water, brought less rain over the last few years. 2013 showed a 12% shortfall.
In 2013, the Asian Development Bank declared India's water outlook “hazardous.”
The World Bank believes India has less than 20 years before its water supply experiences critical failures.
114 million Indians will be water-insecure by 2025, according to expert estimates.
Children International is making a difference in Indian communities through our water, sanitation and health (WASH) projects. Learn more.
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