Cosmos: A Journal of Geography

Water Scarcity and Household Adaptation Strategies in Semi-Arid Regions of Etawah District of Uttar Pradesh, India

Climatic variability, dependence on groundwater and differential access to water infrastructure have made water scarcity a burgeoning socio-environmental issue in rural areas of semi-arid regions. This study focuses on the water scarcity and adaptation strategies of the households of semi-arid areas of Etawah District in Uttar Pradesh, India. The study is conducted in a mixed method approach which involves household surveys, interviews, field observation and secondary data from Census records, CGWB, IMD and government report. The results have revealed that water scarcity in Etawah is largely seasonal and is maximum during summer and pre-monsoon period due to unreliable hand pumps, wells and shallow groundwater sources. The results of the study show that vulnerability does not exist equally in every household, poor households, out-of-the-way settlements, women, and larger families are the ones that experience more scarcity of reliable water sources. The main adaptation measures that can be taken are water storage, water rationing, using water from multiple sources, relying on borewells, using water from water tanks, sharing water and reducing water use, while others are rainwater harvesting. Many of these practices, however, are merely coping strategies and not lasting solutions. The study finds, that water scarcity in Etawah is not only environmental but also social related problem which needs reliable piped water supply, recharge of ground water, local monitoring, enhanced maintenance of the schemes, involvement of women in water resource and water governance.