It is necessary to plan developmental activities in such a manner that causative factors of climate change are duly accounted for.  The adverse impacts can be considerably reduced by pro-active or planned adaptation by learning from the past and planning for future without retarding economic growth, while maintaining environmental quality.

The issues of poor water quality need to be addressed appropriately in both surface and ground water.  The solutions are to be designed in such a manner that we get the required quality of water and maintain the same in our rivers, water bodies and ground water aquifers on a sustainable basis.   Agriculture causes nutrient and pesticide contamination and increased salinity, while domestic sewage and industrial effluents discharged without proper treatment causes pollution of water bodies, rivers and ground water.  It has to be ensured that the domestic sewage should be treated fully. Further all efforts are to be made to recycle and reuse the treated sewage for various non-drinking purposes. Similarly, all industrial effluents should be treated to the desired level before discharging it into the rivers or other water bodies. The emphasis is that the entire industrial effluent after proper treatment should be recycled and reused in the industrial process, thus leading to ‘Zero Liquid discharge’.

Mass awareness campaign for water conservation in the country need to be taken up in a mission mode. Water Literacy among the common people in the country is very low.  Sustained efforts are required in this regard.

It can be said that there is enough water to satisfy the needs of our population for various uses. However, we must strive hard to develop our water resources and utilizing all available quantum.  Effective and efficient management of our existing water resources projects both surface and ground are presently the more important challenge.  Reducing wastage, improving water use efficiency in all areas, adopting various water saving techniques and doing demand management is the key to improved management of water resources. While not being overwhelmed by the doomsday prediction, we need to rise to the great challenges in the water sector to satisfy the basic needs of our population and socio-economic development of the country