The 2024 grave water crisis in Delhi: Challenges, causes, and sustainable solutions

Abstract

The water shortage in Delhi became a major challenge in 2024, aggravated by inefficient water management, rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change. This manuscript aims at studying this crisis with focus on challenges, causes and sustainable solutions. The effect of the crisis on public health, agriculture, industry and the environment are also being discussed. Delhi presents the most data-rich and complex case. Groundwater resources in Delhi are facing severe stress, with several districts operating at or beyond critical extraction levels. Many regions have reached or exceeded the sustainable threshold, reflecting an alarming over-dependence on this resource. Seasonal rainfall patterns reveal that the majority of annual precipitation is concentrated in the monsoon months, while recent years have witnessed erratic distribution, with sharp deficits during winter, spring, and parts of the monsoon season. Such climatic irregularities have significantly contributed to the water crisis witnessed in the summer of 2024. Although certain areas have shown signs of improvement in groundwater levels due to recharge initiatives and moderated withdrawal in recent years, long-term observations indicate a persistent decline in several zones since the 1990s. This underscores the urgent need for integrated water resource management, climate-adaptive strategies, and strict regulation of extraction to safeguard Delhi's water security. Urban sprawl land sealing reduce recharge despite declining extraction. Comparative analysis with other cities such as Cape Town, Chennai and Shimla provide insight into the best practices that Delhi can take over.