Answer:
Water covers most of the planet but only 3 per cent increase from 552 BCM (Billion Cubic Metres) to
of it is fresh water and of which 2 per cent is frozen 1050 BCM by 2025, which will require the use of
in ice caps and glaciers. A mere 1 per cent in the all available water resources in the country. The per
form of lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, swamps, capita water availability according to the report has
marshes and bogs, is readily accessible and relied dropped from over 5,000 cubic metres per year in
on for human consumption. It is this amount that 1947 to less than 2,000 cubic metres per year in
truly matters when sizing up the water challenge. 1997 and by 2025, this figure will further drop to
In the last century the world population tripled and 1,500 cubic metres per year, which is well below the
the use of water grew six times. It is estimated that 2
level at which water stress is considered to occur.
by 2030 the demand for water will be 40 per cent The report also lists six of India's 20 major river
more than it is currently and 50 per cent higher in basins below the water scarcity threshold of 1,000
the most rapidly developing countries that include cubic metres per year. The Mckinsey Report (2009) 1
India and China. According to UN 2004
suggests that by 2030, water demand in India will
estimates, by 2030 the world population is
grow to almost 1.5 trillion m3, principally driven by
projected to reach 7.5 billion (low estimate) and 9 population growth and the domestic need for rice,
billion (medium estimate) by 2050 from the wheat and sugar. According to the Report, the
current level of 6.7 billion people. The bulk of the
current water supply is approximately 740 billion
population increase will be in countries already m3. Clearly, the drivers of future water challenge
experiencing water shortages. The ever expanding
are essentially tied to development and economic
gap between demand (in terms of the growing
growth with the agriculture sector as the largest
population and economy) and supply (in terms of withdrawer of water. The interplay of food,
availability) will potentially make water a serious
energy and water (FEW) within the complex
issue in the coming decades particularly in densely
context of population increase, rising standards of
populated countries. living and resource constraints poses interlocking
The water demand projection for India is a matter challenges to sustainable environmental policies.