{
  "id": 10892901,
  "title": "Knowledge Nugget | How secure are India’s freshwater resources?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/knowledge-nugget-how-secure-are-indias-freshwater-resources",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T07:57:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/upsc-current-affairs/upsc-essentials/knowledge-nugget-how-secure-are-indias-freshwater-resources-10900317/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As the southwest monsoon season draws to a close on September 30, the current water storage in 178 reservoirs across India stands at 70% of total capacity, according to a report by the Central Water Commission (CWC). This is below the 10-year average of 76.62% and even lower than the 79% recorded in 2025. The grim picture is particularly concerning for south, east, and northern India, with water reserves in 92 southern reservoirs, along with 11 northern dams, plummeting to alarming levels. The drought declarations in Maharashtra and Karnataka further highlight the severity of the situation. Factors such as the El Nino phenomenon and a 12% rainfall deficit have contributed to the low capacity of reservoirs. With the monsoon season nearing its end, there is little hope for significant improvement in water storage this season. India heavily relies on freshwater stored in ground for various purposes, and groundwater recharge stands at 446.90 BCM, while extraction consumes 60.47% of the annual extractable resource. The World Bank identifies India as the world's largest groundwater user, abstracting about 245 BCM of groundwater annually. India's per capita water availability has decreased from 5,177 m³ in 1951 to 1,486 m³ in 2021, and is projected to decline further to 1,367 m³ by 2031, posing a growing water stress scenario.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}