Now More Rain, Doesn't Mean More Water

Reservoir levels and water availability concerns resurfaced across several parts of India as monsoon arrives. This was especially true in case of Mumbai, where the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation announced water in seven lakes plummeting to 11% of their capacities. Such discussions were once largely associated with drought-prone regions. Increasingly, they are appearing elsewhere as well.

This is happening despite India receiving nearly 70% of its annual rainfall during the monsoon months. The relationship between rainfall and water security is becoming less straightforward.

For decades, India's water systems operated around a monsoon that followed a reasonably familiar timeline. Reservoirs replenished through the season, groundwater recovered gradually and agricultural cycles adjusted themselves to broadly predictable rainfall patterns.

That predictability is weakening. Rains are now slower, characterised by shorter, more intense spells, followed by longer dry periods. The ability to store and retain that water is coming under greater pressure. The consequences are already visible.

Chennai's floods and subsequent water shortages are often discussed as separate episodes. Bengaluru's flooding and groundwater stress are viewed similarly. Increasingly, both point towards a larger challenge of rainfall not being retained effectively.

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Steady rainfall allows reservoirs, farms and aquifers to recover over time. Intense downpours produce a different outcome. Water moves through the landscape quickly, drainage systems come under pressure and opportunities for groundwater recharge become more limited.

Agriculture is experiencing the effects directly. Increasing dependence on irrigation exacerbates water situation. Conversely, intense rainfall over short durations damages crops and accelerates nutrient loss. Farmers are often dealing with water stress and excess rainfall within the same season.

This matters because groundwater remains one of India's most important water reserves. India extracts nearly 25% of the world's groundwater. Yet groundwater cannot be viewed solely as a source of supply. It is also a storage system that depends on regular recharge.

A flooded street is not simply evidence of excess water. It can also be evidence of water leaving the system before it has had an opportunity to replenish groundwater reserves.

Every missed recharge opportunity eventually reappears elsewhere through deeper borewells, rising energy costs and growing pressure on existing sources. Water systems are not built for a season. They are built for decades.

Reservoirs, canals and treatment infrastructure are designed around assumptions that remain largely invisible until they are tested. One of those assumptions has always been the behaviour of the monsoon.

As rainfall becomes more concentrated, those assumptions are coming under pressure. The challenge is no longer limited to managing scarcity. Increasingly, it is about ensuring that periods of abundance contribute to future water security rather than simply passing through the system.

The response cannot be limited to expanding supply alone. Retaining water where it falls will become increasingly important. Wells, lakes, wetlands, rainwater harvesting systems and decentralised storage networks all contribute towards that objective. Their value lies in slowing water movement through the landscape, in addition to storing water.

We already have some good precedents, which can be followed depending on the topography and local challenges. Chennai's implementation of AI-enabled digital twin systems for flood forecasting and infrastructure planning, Hyderabad's restoration of interconnected lakes, or Odisha's smart water management systems being some of them. Maharashtra and MP's Tapti Mega Recharge initiative was a democratic process, where local communities helped in resolving water challenges.

India's traditional water systems were built around this principle. From the reservoirs of Dholavira to the interconnected tank systems of southern India, water infrastructure was designed to capture rainfall, store it locally and extend its usefulness beyond a single season.

With far more advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence-backed forecasting systems, satellite imagery and digital monitoring platforms, the central challenge remains remarkably familiar.

India cannot determine when rain falls. It can determine how much of that rain is retained.

The article has been authored by Yashovardhan Agarwal, managing director of Welspun BAPL and director of Sintex.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of NDTV Profit or its affiliates. Readers are advised to conduct their own research or consult a qualified professional before making any investment or business decisions. NDTV Profit does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented in this article.

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