The following are the reasons for water scarcity in India.

(i) Increased demand for water: The growing population needs more water for domestic purposes and to produce more food. Agricultural purposes: For agricultural purposes, water resources are being over-exploited. More food needs to be grown for the increasing population. Intensive industrialisation and urbanisation: The increasing number of industries need more water and power to run the machinery. Hydroelectric power contributes twenty-two per cent of the electricity produced. The urban centres with large population and modern lifestyles have added to the problem of water scarcity. Overexploitation of water resources: In some cities, housing societies have their own groundwater pumping devices to meet their needs. This has caused the depletion of water resources in several areas.

(ii) Bad quality of water: The water is getting polluted by domestic and industrial wastes, chemical pesticides and fertilizers.