No progress on water security in India: Study
India, alongside China and the US has been rated as facing the highest level of water security challenges alongside relatively limited progress towards solutions, in new analysis published by British Standards Institute (BSI) and Waterwise. The study combines publicly available data with international polling of over 9,300 people to evaluate how water insecurity is perceived in some of these countries, finding a concerning disconnect between the reality of the challenge, public understanding of its severity, and the action required to turn things around.
This follows previous reports suggesting that by 2050, nearly 50% of Indian states are expected to experience severe water scarcity due to overuse, pollution, and the effects of climate change. Urban areas, especially fast-growing cities like Delhi, Chennai, and Bengaluru, already face water scarcity due to lack of infrastructure, population growth, poor governance, conflict, migration, and financial problems.
Although 70% of Indian respondents recognize water security as an important global issue, and more than four fifths specifically cite drought in their country as an issue (85%), only half (54%) said addressing water security was as important as addressing climate change. The polling also found that only a third in India say they see water security discussed regularly by politicians or media, despite warnings of the serious risks to India’s economic growth, credit and social stability. Water scarcity affects agriculture, which is a major component of India’s production, as well as industries such as textiles and energy that heavily depend on water, posing risks to their production.
In the 2024 Water Security and Solutions Indicator, India, China and the US all score above 50 out of a possible 85, meaning they face some of the greatest challenges and are making limited progress on solutions. Compared with this, the polling data suggests gaps between the reality of the global water security challenge and public comprehension of the scale of the issue – 85% in India claimed to be confident in their country’s freshwater supply.
Positively, two thirds (65%) of people in India believe in the need to act, saying it is important for individuals to take steps to reduce wastage and promote water security. Almost nine in ten (89%) say they seek out sustainability claims when purchasing goods (the highest percentage globally). Similarly, 86% would purchase items using less water intensive materials (e.g. recycled cotton) even at greater cost.
Theuns Kotze, Managing Director, BSI Group India Private LTD at BSI said “India is experiencing a particularly significant water challenge, reflecting not only the scale of water insecurity, but slower progress in terms of infrastructure and public engagement. Whilst this is a demanding task for India, it is a global issue. There’s no silver bullet, but there are actions we can and should be taking today to accelerate progress towards a sustainable world, one in which the supply of fresh water can keep up with the growing demands.”
Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive, BSI said: “While we are seeing pockets of progress towards a water secure world, there is more to do to promote understanding and positive change. This begins with awareness and recognition of the scale of the challenge, and how it fits into broader conversations about climate change and sustainability, from there our politicians and leaders can pave the way for action.
“While there is no single solution, we can and should take action today—from implementing water efficiency labelling to improving consumer choices, to advancing wastewater management in pharmaceutical development. There is much we, as individuals, organizations, and society, can achieve collectively.”
Nicci Russell, CEO, Waterwise said: “Whilst there is a genuine appetite in the public to be part of the solution, the water security challenges our world faces remain with us. Progress is frustratingly slow in most of the world and in other parts, the challenges posed by water security are actually growing. What is crystal clear from the research is that a key part of the solution is making sure that we use the water that we do have wisely in our homes and workplaces. In doing so, we will ensure that we adapt to climate change better, secure water supplies for people and businesses, and enhance the environment.”
Globally, Britons (21%) and the Japanese (15%) were least confident in their understanding of their country’s level of water security, potentially indicating the impact of insufficient political and media focus. Additionally, a quarter globally lacked confidence in their country’s infrastructure for ensuring water security, with the lowest confidence levels reported in the UK (32%) and Japan (44%).
