Central Water Commission says 166 reservoirs 1-third full, straining supplies
India's running low on water: 166 major reservoirs are only about one-third full, says the Central Water Commission.
While that's a small bump from last week, it's way below where we were last year.
This shortage is already making things tough for drinking water, farming, and industry.
Experts urge wastewater reuse, smarter irrigation
Experts say climate change is messing with India's usual monsoon patterns, making rainfall less reliable.
Former Water Resources Secretary Syamal Sarkar points out that only 8% of rainwater gets stored and Sushmita Sengupta of the Centre for Science and Environment notes that long-distance pipelines lose 40-50% of water through leakage.
Plus, each person now has just 1,500 cubic meters of water per year, down from 5,000 in 1950.
To fix this, experts urge quick action: reuse wastewater, switch to smarter irrigation methods, harvest more rainwater, and restore local lakes and ponds before things get worse.