Question

What are the main causes of water scarcity?

Answer 1

Water scarcity in most cases is caused by over- exploitation, excessive use and unequal access to water among different social groups.

Water scarcity may be an outcome of large and growing population and consequent greater demands for water, and unequal access to it. A large population means more water not only for domestic use but also to produce more food. Hence, to facilitate higher food-grain production, water resources are being over-exploited to expand irrigated areas and dry-season agriculture.