The Asian Water Crisis is the catastrophe faced by Asian countries due to overuse and contamination of water supplies.

Groundwater is being increasingly pumped using millions of tube wells which take up more water than can be replenished via rainfall. The water is used to supply the needs of farmers producing food crops.

Some scientists predict widespread desertification, mass starvation and war when the groundwater becomes scarce. The state-owned China Daily has said that China could “plunge into a water crisis” by 2030 when its population is expected to peak at 1.6 billion. The prospects for India are similar.

Increased urbanisation and industrialisation is also resulting in pollution of existing water supplies.

External links

• Asia Faces Water Catastrophe - Discovery Channel article
• Asian farmers sucking the continent dry - New Scientist article
• China's changing farms damaging soil and water - New Scientist article