Abdul Wahab Khan
Panaji
Pointing to a possibility of an era of water stress in Goa, the State of the Environment Report 2025 has projected that the state’s total water demand will rise by over 36.5 per cent in the next three decades.
From 732.41 million cubic metres (MCM) in 2021, the demand is expected to touch nearly 1,000 MCM by 2051, driven by rapid urbanisation, tourism growth and expanding industrial activity.
Year-wise projections in the report have shown a steady and irreversible climb. By the early 2030s, the demand is estimated to cross 800 MCM, rising further to about 900 MCM by the 2040s, before approaching the 1,000 MCM mark by mid-century.
This represents an average growth of around 1.2 per cent annually, compounding into a major long-term burden. A taluka-wise analysis has revealed regional disparities. In 2021, Salcete emerged as the largest water consumer at 16.937 MCM, followed by Bardez (12.398 MCM) and Tiswadi (10.659 MCM).
By 2031, Salcete’s demand is projected to rise to 19.436 MCM, increasing further to 22.006 MCM in 2041 and 24.911 MCM by 2051, marking an overall growth of nearly 47 per cent.
Water requirement in Bardez is expected to grow from 12.398 MCM in 2021 to 13.965 MCM in 2051, while the demand in Mormugao, driven by port activity and urban expansion, will rise from 8.890 MCM to 13.090 MCM, an increase of over 47 per cent. The thirst for water in Tiswadi will grow from 10.659 MCM to 11.673 MCM, while the requirement in Ponda taluka is projected to increase from 8.723 MCM to 9.730 MCM.
Interior talukas are also witnessing significant growth. Sattari has shown one of the fastest rises in water need – from 4.293 MCM in 2021 to 7.717 MCM in 2051, an increase of nearly 80 per cent.
The requirement for the elixir of life in Bicholim taluka will rise from 4.950 MCM to 6.107 MCM, Quepem taluka from 4.778 MCM to 5.965 MCM, and Sanguem taluka from 3.747 MCM to 5.511 MCM.
Canacona taluka, though remaining the lowest consumer, will see the demand rise from 2.287 MCM to 2.411 MCM.
Sector-wise projections have revealed that agriculture will continue to dominate water consumption, with irrigation demand rising from 589.324 MCM in 2021 to 643.971 MCM in 2051, an increase of nearly 9 per cent. Despite technological interventions, farming remains heavily dependent on surface and groundwater, accounting for almost 60 per cent of total water use even in 2051.
Domestic water consumption is projected to rise steadily from 81.673 MCM to 105.172 MCM, reflecting a growth of nearly 29 per cent, driven by population growth, urban housing and changing lifestyles. This trend is most pronounced in coastal and urban belts.
The most dramatic rise is recorded in the industrial sector, where the water demand is expected to surge from 33.503 MCM in 2021 to 185.01 MCM in 2051, representing a staggering 452 per cent increase.
The report has attributed this to expanding industrial estates, logistics hubs and manufacturing clusters.
Water consumption by the hotel and tourism sector is also projected to quadruple, rising from 12.184 MCM to 48.724 MCM, an increase of nearly 300 per cent, underlining the growing environmental footprint of tourism.
At the macro level, the report has estimated Goa’s total water requirement by 2051 at 8,030 MCM, while resources that can be sustainably conserved are pegged at only 1,585 MCM, exposing a widening supply-demand gap.
The report has suggested that the 2015 groundwater policy, aimed at regulating extraction and preventing pollution, needs to be strictly enforced.
The report has cautioned that infrastructure upgrades alone will not resolve the crisis, calling for integrated water resource management, efficient irrigation systems, industrial recycling, conservation in tourism, and large-scale wastewater reuse.
