Water Resources and Quality of Life: Case Studies in Indian Villages

Rekha Krishnan, Tata Energy Research Institute

Revised UN projections on per capita availability of annual renewable fresh water indicate that by 2025, India would reach the water stress benchmark. Uneven distribution of water throughout the country further aggravates the problem. What is the nature of the impending water crisis and what does this entail for the day-to-day lives of people in India's villages? In a quest to answer this question, this paper presents a collection of case studies (part of a UNFPA-funded project at TERI), spanning twenty villages across India, drawing on surveys of over 350 households and focus group discussions as well as the findings of field tests of water samples. The case studies indicate that low water availability and poor water quality impact on the lives of local people, primarily in terms of efforts, time and money spent in water collection; loss of income; seasonal migration and most importantly, health damages.