From Groundwater Depletion to Atmospheric Reliance: Reimagining India’s Water Future

India’s relationship with water has always been a paradox. We are blessed with mighty rivers, generous monsoons, and a long coastline, yet every summer our headlines are filled with stories of tankers, borewells running dry, and cities on the brink of crisis. The truth is simple: we’ve leaned far too heavily on one source—groundwater—and it’s showing its limits.

More than 80% of India’s drinking water today comes from underground aquifers. For decades, they have carried the burden of our needs, but relentless pumping has pushed us to a dangerous edge. Reports now warn that several major Indian cities, including Chennai, Bengaluru, and Delhi, could soon face severe shortages. Salinity intrusion, sinking water tables, and conflicts over access are no longer distant risks; they are part of everyday reality.

Why the old fixes won’t be enough?

We’ve tried to meet demand with bigger dams, longer canals, and even desalination plants. Each has its place, but each comes with trade-offs: ecological disruption, high energy costs, or painfully slow impact. And as our cities swell and industries expand, the demand curve keeps outpacing supply. Clearly, doing more of the same won’t solve the crisis.

Looking up instead of down

The atmosphere carries a hidden reservoir—six times more water than all of Earth’s rivers combined. It is a resource we walk through every single day, but rarely think of as a solution. With today’s technology, it is possible to harvest this vapor and condense it into safe, drinkable water.

This isn’t science fiction. Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) already operate in homes, offices, schools, hotels, and even in remote villages. They make water at the point of use, cutting out dependence on tankers, bottles, and pipelines. It is decentralized, local, and clean—water produced from the very air we breathe.

Why this matters for India?

Our climate makes AWGs particularly relevant. Most parts of India have enough humidity for these systems to function reliably, giving us an opportunity to scale a new water source across cities and rural areas alike.

The value is not just in sustainability, but in resilience:

•They work even when rainfall is patchy.

•They avoid exhausting aquifers or creating brine waste.

•They reduce plastic and transport emissions.

•And most importantly, they put control back in the hands of the user.

A wider shift in mindset

Of course, no single technology will solve India’s water crisis. Rainwater harvesting, recharge programs, desalination, and better wastewater treatment all have their role. But unless we diversify and add atmospheric water into the mix, we’ll continue fighting over the same shrinking pie.

Just as solar energy went from being an “alternative” to a mainstream pillar of power, atmospheric water can follow the same path. But it needs recognition—in building policies, sustainability frameworks, and government programs. Institutions and corporates too have a role to play, by adopting decentralized water generation as part of their environmental responsibility.

The way forward

Water is not something we should queue up for, negotiate over, or treat as a privilege. It should be available—wherever we live, work, or study—as easily as switching on a light. That shift will only come when we look beyond the ground beneath us and start trusting the air above us.

India’s water future doesn’t have to be one of depletion. It can be one of balance, resilience, and renewal—if we have the courage to reimagine where our water comes from.

(The writer is a CEO & Founder, AKVO)