SHILLONG, Feb 25: Meghalaya finds itself at a critical juncture as around 747 water resources are dying as mentioned by Meghalaya’s Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister, Marcuise Marak, in a conversation with the media. This is the ground reality despite the state pumping in record funds for water conservation, introducing a comprehensive water policy, and convening a conclave, a first of its kind, to address the crisis.
Meghalaya, home to Mawsynram — the wettest place on Earth with an average annual rainfall of 11,871 mm, should, in theory, never face water shortages. However, data from the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) reveals the stark disparities in rainfall across the state. While Southern Meghalaya receives 2,600 mm of average annual rainfall, Northern regions range between 2,500 and 3,000 mm, and South-Eastern parts record around 4,000 mm, against a state average of 2,818 mm. The problem, as mentioned by several experts lies not in the lack of rainfall but in ineffective water retention, deforestation, and high runoff, which prevent sustainable water availability.
A Jal Shakti Ministry report further highlights the state’s fragile groundwater reserves. Meghalaya’s annual groundwater recharge stands at 1.72 billion cubic meters (BCM), but only 0.053 BCM is currently extracted — a meager 3.55% utilisation of its potential.
Despite this low extraction rate, depleting water sources signal a deeper crisis — water mismanagement, unsustainable land use, and climate-induced changes are pushing Meghalaya toward scarcity. With a projected 0.057 BCM domestic water requirement by 2025, there is a warning that current trends could spell long-term trouble for the state’s water security.
To tackle this crisis, the Meghalaya government last year launched the Rs 353-crore MegARISE project, aimed at protecting key water catchment areas, particularly the Umiew catchment in East Khasi Hills and the Ganol catchment in West Garo Hills. This project, alongside the state’s Water Policy — one of the most comprehensive in the country — was expected to bring tangible improvements in water conservation.
Yet, despite these efforts, Meghalaya’s water bodies continue to vanish. The implementation of rainwater harvesting remains inconsistent, deforestation continues unabated and natural springs are drying up. The disconnect between investment and impact is becoming increasingly apparent.
One of the important steps towards water conservation was that rainwater harvesting machinery to be made in all new buildings, but it has been informed that there is no check as to if it is actually being inculcated or not.
Similarly, accounting for the water loss is also Unaccounted For Water (UFW) losses, where over 50% of water disappears through leakages and siphoning before reaching consumers. This wastage is particularly alarming given Meghalaya’s abundant annual rainfall of 63 billion cubic litres, of which only 1 billion cubic litres is retained. According to the American Water Works Association (AWWA), this demands immediate intervention, as anything exceeding 25% is considered problematic.
With nearly 747 water sources facing extinction, Meghalaya is at a crossroads. The financial resources are available, the policies are in place, and expert recommendations have been laid out — yet the results remain elusive.
JJM sources
Climate change has begun to adversely impact water supply projects, including the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Meghalaya.
Speaking on the issue on Tuesday, PHE Minister Marcuise Marak said that most JJM water sources in villages are drying up, and the effects of global climate change are becoming evident in these projects.
To address the crisis, rejuvenation work is under way in the identified critical water sources of Meghalaya. “We will see the outcome after a couple of years,” Marak said.
Referring to the Union government’s slogan, “Catch the rain where it falls,” he emphasised that Meghalaya is actively working in line with this principle.
Additionally, the minister highlighted the department’s focus on rainwater harvesting, both for household use and for recharging groundwater reserves.
