Super El Niño May Push India Toward Water Bankruptcy; Subhajit Mukherjee Foundation Urges Rainwater Harvesting As Climate Lifeline

Warning that increasingly severe Super El Niño events could push India towards "water bankruptcy", the Subhajit Mukherjee Foundation has called for widespread adoption of rainwater harvesting as a critical climate adaptation strategy to safeguard the country's future water security.

El Niño Impact

In a concept paper released under its Mission Green Mumbai initiative, the foundation said Super El Niño conditions characterised by unusually strong warming of the Pacific Ocean can significantly disrupt India's monsoon, resulting in delayed rainfall, prolonged dry spells, extreme heat waves and mounting pressure on freshwater resources.

According to the foundation, reduced and erratic rainfall during such events severely impacts groundwater recharge while simultaneously increasing extraction by cities and farmers to compensate for surface water shortages. This leads to rapidly declining water tables, drying borewells, salinity intrusion in coastal aquifers and higher costs of pumping water from deeper levels.

Evaporation Losses

The report also highlights the impact of rising temperatures on evaporation from lakes, reservoirs, ponds, wetlands and other open water bodies, reducing drinking water storage and irrigation supplies while damaging aquatic ecosystems and concentrating pollutants.

Urban centres are particularly vulnerable due to their dependence on reservoirs and groundwater, often resulting in water rationing, increased reliance on tankers and economic disruptions. Rural communities face crop failures, fodder shortages, financial distress and migration, with women and children bearing an increased burden of fetching water.

Solutions Proposed

The foundation has identified rainwater harvesting as one of the most effective solutions to build resilience against climate-induced water stress. Rooftop harvesting systems, recharge wells, recharge pits and Jal Tara structures can replenish aquifers, improve borewell sustainability and reduce dependence on external water sources.

The report also notes that underground storage significantly minimises evaporation losses compared to surface reservoirs while naturally improving water quality through filtration. Farm ponds, check dams and contour trenches can further strengthen agricultural resilience and improve soil moisture retention.

Call for Collective Action

Calling for collective action, the foundation urged households, housing societies, educational institutions, industries, farmers and municipalities to invest in rainwater harvesting infrastructure, restore lakes and wetlands and promote water conservation practices.

Emphasising the urgency of climate preparedness, the report concludes that rainwater harvesting should be viewed not merely as a conservation measure but as a long-term investment in India's water security.

"Every drop harvested today is a safeguard against tomorrow's drought," the foundation said, urging citizens to save rain where it falls and recharge the earth below.  "Despite having around 34,000 housing societies in Mumbai, only about 3,000 have implemented rainwater harvesting systems. The government should introduce incentives and supportive policies to encourage widespread adoption, ensuring that precious rainwater is not lost through stormwater drains. Groundwater recharge remains one of the most effective long-term solutions to the city's growing water challenges. The objective is simple: instead of allowing rainwater to flow away, it should be channelled back into the ground to replenish aquifers and secure future water resources and it's not expensive, " said Mukherjee. 

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