India to become water scarce by 2025

Sanwar Lal Jat, Minister of State for Water Resources said that consulting firm “Everything About Water” (EA Water) has concluded that India’s demand for water is expected to exceed all current sources of supply and the country is set to become water scarce by the year 2025. Sanwar Lal Jat said that the National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development, in a 1999 report, had said that the annual water requirement by 2025 and 2050 will be about 843 BILLION CUBIC METRES (BCM) and 1,180 BCM.

• About 70 percent of country’s irrigation and 80 percent of domestic water use come from ground water which is rapidly getting depleted.
• According to Everything About (EA) Water, a consulting firm in water sector study, with increasing household income and increasing contributions from the service and industrial sectors, there will be substantial increase in the water demand in the domestic and industrial sectors which creates imbalance in demand and supply.
• Overseas players from Canada, Israel, Germany, Italy, United States, China and Belgium sees big investment opportunity worth USD 13 billion in the domestic water sector.
• Maharashtra is emerging as a hub for the water sector, there are more than 1,200 companies dealing in water and wastewater treatment in the state. Over 12 international companies have already set up design and engineering centers in Mumbai and Pune.
• Countries like India, Mexico, China and Brazil use maximum water for agriculture, unlike the western countries which uses 70 percent to 75 percent water for industrial needs.
• H SUBRAMANIAM, Chief Operating Officer, EA Water said that water sector is a sunrise opportunity in India, and is likely to see significant investment in the next 5 years. Over 1 million jobs would be created in the next 3 years.
• Industrial water use in India is about 40 billion cubic metres (bcm) which will be increased to 191 bcm by the year 2025.