Water, Water Everywhere, Nor Any Drop to Drink? An Essay in Hydro-Politics

Posted on 29th January, 2026 (GMT 09:05 hrs)

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the enduring paradox of Earth’s vast water resources contrasted with the severe scarcity of safe, drinkable freshwater, encapsulated in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s line from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”: “Water, water everywhere, but nor any drop to drink.” Drawing on foundational hydrological data and recent 2026 UN assessments declaring an era of “global water bankruptcy”—marked by irreversible depletion, pollution, and over-allocation of water systems—the study analyzes the mismatch between total water volume (primarily saline oceans) and accessible potable supplies. It investigates key research questions: the drivers of drinkable water scarcity (natural inaccessibility compounded by human-induced over-extraction, climate change, and contamination) and the primary anthropogenic sources of pollution (groundwater overuse without recharge, industrialization and acid rain, military activities, domestic and urban waste mismanagement, maritime pollution, sea mining, vanishing glaciers, agriculture, mining, deforestation, pharmaceuticals, and more). The analysis critiques “green capitalist” interventions—such as bottled water, alcoholic beverages, RO purifiers, desalination, privatization, virtual water trade, and green tech manufacturing—as often exacerbating waste through resource-intensive processes and greenwashing. Through India-focused case studies of Piramal Sarvajal (as compensatory CSR amid corporate pollution) and Reliance’s Campa Cola revival (as “Ambani-Cola capitalism” embodying Derrida’s pharmakon of thirst commodification), the paper highlights how profit-driven models mask structural harms while perpetuating dependency. It concludes with the looming threat of “water wars” amid surging conflicts and projections of widespread displacement, advocating systemic shifts toward community-led regeneration (e.g., Rajendra Singh’s johad-based river rejuvenation), equitable governance, transboundary cooperation, and de-commodification of water as a shared commons to avert irreversible crises.

I. Introduction

Earth’s surface is dominated by water—covering approximately 71% of the planet—yet humanity faces an escalating crisis of access to safe, drinkable supplies. The iconic line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”—”Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink”—poignantly captures this irony: vast oceanic and saline volumes render most water unusable without energy-intensive desalination or treatment, while freshwater remains a fragile, diminishing resource. Recent 2026 United Nations assessments have declared the onset of an era of “global water bankruptcy,” where chronic over-withdrawal, pollution, land subsidence, deforestation, and climate-amplified disruptions have pushed many river basins, aquifers, and wetlands beyond recovery to historical baselines. Irreversible damage affects systems supporting billions, with ~4 billion people experiencing severe scarcity for at least one month annually, ~2.2 billion lacking safely managed drinking water, and ~3.5 billion without adequate sanitation. This post-crisis reality—compounded by groundwater depletion causing subsidence for ~2 billion people and drought costs exceeding US$300 billion yearly—transforms temporary shortages into chronic insolvency, threatening food security, health, migration, and geopolitical stability.

This paper provides foundational hydrological context before delving into the research questions. It synthesizes global data on water distribution, traces anthropogenic contamination sources (from industrial acid rain and domestic effluents to military residues, sea mining, vanishing glaciers, and agricultural runoff), and critiques market-oriented “solutions” that often greenwash inefficiencies and commodify a fundamental human right. Through detailed case studies of Indian corporate ventures—Piramal Sarvajal’s hybrid CSR model and Reliance’s Campa Cola expansion under Isha Ambani—the analysis exposes how “compassionate” or “philanthro-capitalism” can serve compensatory functions, masking upstream pollution while perpetuating scarcity through resource extraction and waste. The discussion culminates in the specter of “water wars”—evidenced by surging violence over transboundary basins (e.g., Indus, Nile, Mekong) and intra-national disputes—while highlighting regenerative alternatives, such as Rajendra Singh’s community-driven river rejuvenation in Rajasthan. Ultimately, the paper argues for a paradigm shift from profit-driven commodification to cooperative, equitable governance of water as a shared commons, essential for averting conflict and securing sustainability in an era of hydrological bankruptcy.

Background Data

• Volume of Water on Earth Compared to Land (Point A): Earth’s total water volume is approximately 1.386 billion cubic kilometers (km³), covering about 71% of the planet’s surface, while land covers 29%. However, this is surface coverage; in terms of volume, water constitutes only about 0.02% of Earth’s total mass, with the geosphere (land and subsurface) being vastly larger—over 750 times the volume of surface water. The oceans hold 96.5-97.5% of this water, making freshwater a tiny fraction.
• Volume of Drinkable Water (Point B): Of Earth’s total water, only 2.5% is freshwater, and much of this is inaccessible (e.g., 68-70% locked in glaciers and ice caps, 30% in groundwater). Readily available drinkable water—suitable for human use without significant treatment—accounts for just 0.3-0.5% of total freshwater, or roughly 0.007-0.3% of all water on Earth. This equates to about 10.6 million km³ of accessible surface and groundwater, but contamination further reduces usability.

These statistics underscore the vulnerability of potable water supplies, exacerbated by population growth, climate change, and pollution.

Research Questions

Based on the provided data points, the following refined research questions guide the analysis:

1. Why is there such scarcity of drinkable water despite Earth’s vast water resources? This question investigates the mismatch between total water volume and accessible, uncontaminated supplies, incorporating trends in scarcity and contamination.
2. Who or what is responsible for contaminating water, and how do these factors contribute to reduced drinkability? This explores anthropogenic and natural sources, with a focus on unsustainable practices and their environmental impacts.

II. Methodology

This paper adopts a literature review approach, synthesizing data from global sources (e.g., USGS, WHO, UNESCO, EPA) on water volumes, scarcity trends, and contamination. Quantitative data on SO2 emissions and pH changes are analyzed for acid rain. Visual aids, including graphs, illustrate trends over the last 5 years (2021-2025, based on available 2026 projections). Where data gaps exist, extrapolations from recent reports (e.g., WMO, UN Water) are used. No primary experiments were conducted; instead, secondary sources provide empirical evidence.

III. The Scarcity of Drinkable Water (Addressing Question 1)

Despite Earth’s immense water volume, drinkable supplies are scarce due to natural distribution (e.g., most freshwater is frozen or saline) and human-induced factors like over-extraction, pollution, and climate change. Global freshwater use has increased six-fold since 1900, with demand rising ~1% annually since the 1980s. By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population (~5-6 billion people) faced water shortages for at least one month yearly, up from 3.6 billion in 2023. Severe scarcity affects half the global population seasonally, with projections indicating 5 billion people impacted by 2050.

Key drivers include:

• Population growth and urbanization, increasing domestic and industrial demand.
• Climate change, causing erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts (e.g., 29% increase in drought duration since 2000), and glacier melt (largest mass loss in 50 years by 2023).
• Overuse of groundwater without recharge, leading to aquifer depletion (e.g., 70% of major aquifers in long-term decline).
• Contamination reducing usability (detailed in Section 2).

Graphic Representation of Water Scarcity and Contamination (Last 5 Years: 2021-2025)

Trends show accelerating scarcity: Freshwater storage on land dropped 1,200 km³ below 2002-2014 averages by 2023, linked to megadroughts in regions like the U.S. Southwest and Brazil. Contamination has worsened, with 42% of global household wastewater untreated in 2022 (113 billion m³ discharged), leading to 1.7-2.2 billion people using feces-contaminated sources. Pollution from emerging contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, PFAS) has risen, with microbial risks peaking in low-income regions.

Here are representative graphs:

Global water scarcity trends (1900-2025 projection, showing consumption growth):

World map of freshwater availability and stress (vulnerability increasing in orange/red areas like Middle East, India, North Africa):

Contamination trends: Acidic precipitation frequency decreased in some areas (e.g., U.S. sulfate deposition down 70% since 1990), but overall water quality degraded, with 4.4 billion people exposed to high stress by 2025. Untreated effluents spiked during 2021-2023 droughts, increasing nitrate and heavy metal levels.

IV. Responsibilities for Water Contamination (Addressing Question 2)

Water contamination stems primarily from human activities, though natural processes (e.g., volcanic emissions) play a minor role. Responsible parties include industries, governments (via poor regulation), agriculture, households, and military operations. Below are the user’s listed sources, expanded with data, plus additional ones.

• Groundwater Overuse Without Recharging: Aquifers are depleted faster than replenished, leading to saltwater intrusion and concentration of contaminants. Globally, 50% of domestic water comes from groundwater, with 40%+ from draining aquifers.
• Industrialization and Waste: Acid Rain: Factories emit SO2 and NOx, forming sulfuric and nitric acids in precipitation. Global SO2 emissions peaked ~1980, decreased 70-80% in Europe/North America since 1990 (e.g., U.S. SO2 down 95% by 2023), but rose then fell in China (75% drop since 2007). In India, emissions increased 50% by 2023. Scientific explanation: SO2 oxidizes to sulfate (SO4²⁻), lowering pH (e.g., from 5.6 normal to 4.2-4.4 in acid rain). Trends: pH in U.S./Europe rose (less acidic) post-1990 regulations, but in Asia/Africa, pH dropped to 3.8-4.5 in polluted areas, linked to 10% migration increase from water deficits (1970-2000). Data: Global SO2 down overall since 2006, but regional spikes cause persistent acid rain.
• Missile Tests and War Industry: Military activities release heavy metals (e.g., lead, uranium) and explosives residues into water via runoff or atmospheric deposition.
• Using Rivers as Drains (Garbage Management Failure): Urban waste turns rivers into sewers; 80% of marine pollution is land-based, including plastics (19-23 million tons/year).
• Bleaching of Clothes: Chlorine-based bleaches release dioxins and organochlorines, persistent pollutants.
• Domestic Wastes (Soaps, Detergents, Plastics, Shampoos): Contain phosphates, surfactants, and microplastics; 1.7 billion use contaminated sources due to untreated sewage.
• Ships and Oil: Maritime transport causes oil spills (e.g., hydrocarbons) and ballast water pollution.
• Sea Mining: Deep-sea extraction releases sediments with heavy metals (e.g., copper, zinc).
• Vanishing Glaciers Due to Anthropogenic Global Warming: Melting releases stored pollutants (e.g., mercury) and reduces freshwater supply; 50% of large lakes lost water since 1990s.

Additional Sources:

• Agriculture: Leading cause of degradation; fertilizers/pesticides cause nutrient runoff (e.g., 12 million tons nitrogen/year in U.S.), leading to algal blooms and eutrophication.
• Mining: Leaches heavy metals (e.g., arsenic, mercury) into groundwater; abandoned mines acidify water (pH <2.4 in some cases).
• Deforestation: Increases erosion, sedimentation, and runoff; 410 million hectares of wetlands lost in 50 years, reducing natural filtration.
• Pharmaceuticals: From wastewater and livestock; antibiotics foster resistance, detected in 70% of global rivers.

These sources collectively contaminate 99% of unusable water, with agriculture (70% of withdrawals) and industry (20%) as top culprits.

The data reveal a crisis driven by unsustainable practices, with scarcity and contamination intertwined. While emission controls (e.g., U.S. Clean Air Act) have reduced acid rain in developed regions, emerging economies face rising threats. Climate change amplifies issues, with 134% more flood-related disasters since 2000 spreading pollutants. Policy gaps, like inadequate wastewater treatment (58% treated globally), perpetuate risks.

Earth’s water abundance masks a drinkable water crisis, fueled by contamination from human activities. Addressing this requires global cooperation: stricter regulations, sustainable agriculture, reforestation, and advanced treatment tech. Future research should focus on real-time monitoring and equitable access to prevent escalation by 2050.

V. Green Capitalist “Solutions” Contributing to Water Waste

While market-driven “green” initiatives are often promoted as sustainable responses to water scarcity, many exacerbate the problem through resource-intensive production, waste generation, and environmental externalities. Framed under “green capitalism,” these solutions prioritize profit over genuine ecological restoration, leading to increased water waste and pollution. This section critiques such approaches, drawing on data from global reports and studies, to reveal how they perpetuate rather than alleviate the drinkable water crisis.

A. Mineral Water with Plastic Bottles and Environmental Impact for Manufacturing Such Water

Bottled mineral water, marketed as a premium, “pure” alternative to tap water, exemplifies green capitalism’s contradictions. Production involves extracting groundwater—often from vulnerable aquifers—followed by energy-intensive bottling in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics. Globally, the industry generated 600 billion plastic bottles in 2021, resulting in 25 million tons of plastic waste, with 85% ending up in landfills or oceans, taking up to 1,000 years to degrade. Manufacturing one liter of bottled water requires 1.39-7.1 liters of water (including extraction and processing), plus 0.26-0.85 liters of fossil fuels, emitting 0.562-0.842 kg of CO2 per liter. This contributes to groundwater depletion, with sales projected to double by 2030, adding pressure to already stressed resources in regions like India and the Middle East. Plastic leaching introduces microplastics and chemicals into ecosystems, contaminating water sources further.

B. Hard Drinks: Environmental Impact for Manufacturing Such Drinks

Alcoholic beverages, or “hard drinks,” are positioned in green capitalism through “sustainable” branding (e.g., organic sourcing), yet their production is highly water-wasteful. Brewing and distilling require 800-1,000 liters of water per liter of product, with 92% of ingredients becoming waste that pollutes waterways via runoff. For instance, beer production emits 510-842 grams of CO2 per liter, while spirits like rum generate nutrient-rich wastewater that causes eutrophication in rivers. Agriculture for raw materials (e.g., barley, grapes) accounts for 70-80% of impacts, involving fertilizer runoff and nitrous oxide emissions—300 times more potent than CO2. In the UK, alcohol contributes 1.5% of national GHG emissions, equivalent to 139 kg CO2e per person annually from moderate consumption. Packaging, often in glass or plastic, adds to the footprint, with energy-intensive manufacturing and transport amplifying water waste through virtual water exports.

C. Water Purifier Machines with RO: Environmental Impact for Manufacturing Such Water

Reverse osmosis (RO) purifiers are touted as eco-friendly home solutions for clean water, but their manufacturing involves plastics, membranes, and electronics with a notable environmental toll. Production requires energy-intensive processes, contributing to carbon emissions (e.g., 1-2 kg CO2 per unit) and chemical use in membrane fabrication. While the manufacturing footprint is lower than alternatives like distillation (which uses up to 10 times more energy), it still generates non-biodegradable waste, with filters lasting 6-12 months before disposal. Globally, RO adoption in urban areas like Kolkata has surged, but supply chains rely on resource extraction (e.g., rare earths for components), leading to habitat disruption and pollution. “Green” labeling often overlooks these upstream impacts, framing RO as sustainable while ignoring lifecycle emissions.

D. RO and Water Waste

Beyond manufacturing, RO systems contribute directly to water waste through reject water (brine). Traditional units waste 3-10 gallons per gallon of purified water, with an average ratio of 4:1-5:1, discharging contaminants back into sewers or drains. This inefficiency exacerbates scarcity; a household using 5 gallons daily could waste 15-50 gallons, straining municipal systems. High-pressure pumps consume electricity (0.5-1 kWh per 100 gallons), adding indirect water use via power generation. While some “zero-waste” models recycle reject water (e.g., for irrigation), they still concentrate pollutants, risking soil salinization. In India, where RO is common due to contamination, this leads to 20-30% national water loss in urban purification.

E. Desalination Plants as “Green” Infrastructure

Large-scale desalination, promoted as a capitalist solution to scarcity, consumes vast energy (3-5 kWh per cubic meter) and discharges hypersaline brine, increasing ocean salinity by 1-2% locally and harming marine life. Plants in the Middle East and California waste 1.5-2 times the produced water as brine, contributing to dead zones.

F. Privatization of Water Resources

Corporate control of water utilities, under green capitalism, prioritizes profit, leading to over-extraction and leaks (20-50% loss in pipes globally), wasting billions of cubic meters annually.

G. Virtual Water Trade in “Sustainable” Exports

Exporting water-intensive “green” products (e.g., biofuels, organic crops) embeds 15-20% of global water use in trade, depleting exporter nations’ resources for importer profits.

H. Wastewater from Green Tech Manufacturing

Production of “eco” gadgets (e.g., solar panels, batteries) generates chemical-laden wastewater, with 10-20 liters per panel, often untreated in supply chains.

These examples illustrate how green capitalist solutions often greenwash inefficiencies, shifting burdens to ecosystems and marginalized communities while profiting from scarcity. True sustainability requires systemic shifts beyond market mechanisms.

V. Case Study – Piramal Sarvajal: A Critical Examination of “Compassionate Capitalism” in Water Provision

Piramal Sarvajal, launched in 2008 by the Piramal Foundation (the CSR arm of the Piramal Group), exemplifies a hybrid “green capitalist” model that combines corporate social responsibility (CSR) with market-driven operations to address safe drinking water access in underserved rural and urban communities in India. Operating primarily through decentralized reverse osmosis (RO) purification plants and solar-powered “Water ATMs,” it positions itself as a mission-driven social enterprise providing affordable, technology-enabled clean water. This case study analyzes its structure, claimed benefits, and criticisms, particularly the argument that such initiatives serve as compensatory mechanisms for broader corporate environmental harms, potentially amounting to greenwashing or “environmental extortionism” under the guise of philanthropy.

Operational Model

Sarvajal deploys community-level RO purification units that treat local groundwater or surface water to meet ISO 10500 standards, removing contaminants like fluoride, arsenic, and pathogens that cause diseases such as diarrhea and fluorosis. Key features include:

• Decentralized Franchise Model: Local entrepreneurs are trained and supported to operate purification plants and Water ATMs, generating livelihoods and reducing reliance on manual water collection (often burdensome for women and girls).
• Affordability Mechanism: Water is sold at ultra-low prices (typically 20–30 paise per liter, or about ₹0.20–0.30/L), making it accessible to “bottom-of-the-pyramid” consumers while aiming for financial sustainability without perpetual donor dependence.
• Technology Integration: IoT sensors and cloud-based monitoring ensure real-time tracking of water quality, machine performance, and operational efficiency. Many units are solar-powered to minimize energy costs and emissions.
• Hybrid Funding: In remote or low-viability areas (e.g., small villages or schools), initial setup is often funded through CSR partnerships or grants, transitioning to revenue from user fees for long-term viability.

This model has scaled to serve thousands of communities across multiple states, with reported impacts including reduced waterborne illnesses, job creation, and improved health perceptions linked to clean water.

Strategic Classification: CSR, Profit-Based, or “Philanthro-Capitalism”?

Sarvajal is frequently described as “compassionate capitalism,” “shared value,” or “philanthro-capitalism”—a blend of philanthropic intent and business principles:

• Philanthropic Roots: Seeded and supported by the Piramal Foundation’s CSR initiatives, aligning with India’s Companies Act 2013 mandates for corporate giving.
• Market-Based Sustainability: By charging fees and using franchising, it seeks self-reliance, attracting talent and scaling beyond grant-dependent models.
• Social Entrepreneurship: Emphasizes community empowerment and accountability, contrasting with pure charity or exploitative privatization.

Proponents argue this creates lasting impact by treating water as a “service” rather than a free public good, incentivizing efficiency and maintenance.

Positive Impacts and Achievements

• Health and Access: Significant reductions in waterborne diseases in served areas; affordable alternative to expensive bottled water or contaminated sources.
• Efficiency Claims: Sarvajal’s RO systems reportedly generate less wastewater than domestic units through optimized technology (e.g., better recovery ratios), with reject water sometimes repurposed for non-potable uses like sanitation or washing.
• Innovation: Pioneering IoT for transparency and solar integration for lower environmental footprint compared to grid-dependent systems.
• Community Benefits: Local jobs and reduced time spent fetching water, promoting gender equity.

Criticisms: CSR as Compensatory Process and Potential Greenwashing

A critical perspective frames Sarvajal not as genuine altruism but as a compensatory tool for the Piramal Group’s broader environmental record. The parent Piramal Group (including Piramal Pharma and other entities) has faced allegations of pollution and regulatory violations, raising questions about whether water initiatives “clean up” reputational damage from industrial harms.

• Link to Corporate Pollution: Piramal Pharma has been penalized by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for groundwater and environmental contamination. In 2019, an ₹8.3 crore environmental compensation was imposed on a Piramal pharma unit in Sangareddy, Telangana (Digwal area), for violating norms and polluting groundwater over years, following the “polluter pays” principle. Villagers reported long-term water unfit for drinking or irrigation, with ongoing concerns despite partial payments and stays.
• Compensatory Logic: Critics argue Sarvajal functions as “CSR compensatory process”—profiting from or mitigating crises partly created by industrial activities (e.g., pharma effluents contributing to contamination that necessitates purification solutions). This mirrors broader accusations of “greenwashing,” where corporations exacerbate environmental degradation (e.g., via chemical pollution) then market “solutions” like RO water provision as virtuous.
• Environmental Trade-offs in Model: While optimized, RO systems inherently produce reject water (brine with concentrated contaminants). Though Sarvajal claims lower waste than household units and some reuse, discharge practices raise concerns in water-stressed areas, potentially concentrating pollutants locally if not managed ideally.
• Commodification of Water: Charging for a basic right, even affordably, is critiqued as neoliberal privatization, especially when public infrastructure fails due to systemic issues (including industrial pollution). Some view it as profiting from scarcity rather than addressing root causes.
• Broader Piramal Controversies: Allegations extend to real estate irregularities, insider trading probes, and political ties, framing philanthropy as “corporate armor” against scrutiny.

These critiques, drawn from activist reports and NGT cases, suggest Sarvajal exemplifies how green capitalist ventures can mask structural harms, shifting responsibility from polluters to consumers while generating positive PR and potential revenue streams.

Conclusion and Implications for Green Capitalism

Piramal Sarvajal demonstrates the potential of hybrid models to deliver tangible benefits in water access, particularly in underserved regions. However, its ties to a parent group with documented environmental violations highlight tensions in “compassionate capitalism”: initiatives may provide short-term relief while diverting attention from upstream pollution and systemic inequities. For true sustainability, water solutions must prioritize prevention (e.g., stricter industrial regulations) over market-based remediation. This case underscores the need for scrutiny of CSR claims, ensuring they do not serve as compensatory facades for profit-driven environmental costs.

(References drawn from official Sarvajal/Piramal sources, NGT rulings, independent case studies, and critical analyses; specific citations available upon request.)

VI. Case Study 2 – Isha Ambani’s Campa Cola Venture: An Instance of Water Waste in Corporate Beverage Expansion

Building on the philosophical critique in “The Pharmakon of Coca-Cola Capitalism: Paradigm of Thirst” (2025), this case study reframes Reliance’s revival of Campa Cola under Isha Ambani’s leadership as a domesticated variant of global “Coca-Cola capitalism”—termed “Ambani-Cola capitalism.” Drawing from Derrida’s concept of pharmakon (a substance that is simultaneously remedy and poison), the analysis reveals how soft drink ventures promise refreshment and national pride while functioning as poison: intensifying water scarcity, commodifying thirst, and exacerbating ecological harm through resource extraction and waste. The “thirst paradigm” describes how capitalist desire manufactures endless craving (akin to Lacanian jouissance or Buddhist taṇhā), where products like cola dehydrate the body and deplete aquifers, creating dependency on corporate “solutions” that perpetuate the cycle. In India, this manifests through nationalist branding (nostalgia for “The Great Indian Taste”) masking extractive logics, with CSR and affordability claims serving as compensatory greenwashing.

Overview and Operational Model

Acquired in 2022 for ₹22 crore, Campa Cola was relaunched in 2023 with aggressive pricing (e.g., 200ml at ₹10, undercutting competitors by 40-50%) and Reliance’s vast network (18,000+ stores, JioMart, Reliance Retail). By 2025, it captured double-digit market share in key states, expanded into flavors (Orange, Lemon), and entered bottled water via Campa Sure (₹15-25 per liter, 20-43% cheaper than Bisleri/Kinley). Investments reached ₹6,000-8,000 crore, including new bottling plants (e.g., Kurnool, Guwahati, Begusarai, Vijayapura ₹1,622-crore facility). The model emphasizes vertical integration, heritage revival, and “made in India” nationalism to disrupt PepsiCo and Coca-Cola.

Extensions like Campa Sure commodify tap water alternatives, promoting bottled purity amid public infrastructure failures.

Strategic Classification: Dynastic “Philanthro-Capitalism” and Market Disruption

As part of the Ambani empire, Campa embodies dynastic capitalism: family-led conglomerates leveraging kinship ties (e.g., Isha Ambani-Anand Piramal marriage linking Reliance and Piramal) for oligarchic control. It blends profit-driven disruption (Jio-style undercutting) with nationalist tropes, reterritorializing global Coca-Cola logics domestically. Unlike pure CSR, it’s revenue-focused, yet ties to Piramal’s Sarvajal create a pharmakon nexus: one extracts/depletes water (beverages/pharma effluents), the other “remedies” via purification, masking harms under shared-value rhetoric.

Positive Impacts and Achievements (as Claimed)

• Affordability and Access: Low prices “democratize” beverages and water, targeting rural/urban masses.
• Economic Boost: Job creation (e.g., 1,200 at Vijayapura plant), supply-chain growth, and ₹1,000+ crore revenue.
• Innovation and Nationalism: Revives indigenous brands, challenges MNC dominance, and aligns with “Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
• Sustainability Pledges: Claims of reduced carbon footprint, minimized water usage, and eco-friendly packaging.

Criticisms: Water Waste, the Pharmakon Logic, and the Thirst Paradigm

The venture exemplifies how Ambani-Cola capitalism reproduces Coca-Cola’s harms under a swadeshi facade. Soft drink production consumes 3-4 liters of freshwater per liter of beverage (often groundwater in stressed regions like Maharashtra/Gujarat), generating contaminated wastewater, chemical effluents, and aquifer depletion. No public environmental audits disclose Campa’s water footprint, echoing opacity in Reliance operations (e.g., Jamnagar refinery pollution). Scaling amplifies impacts in India’s water crisis (600 million face high stress), mirroring historical Coca-Cola cases:

• Groundwater Extraction and Depletion: Like Plachimada (Coca-Cola extracted 500,000 liters daily, dropping water tables 10m, closing plant amid protests) and Mehdiganj, Campa’s expansion risks similar over-extraction, well-drying, soil salinization, and agricultural displacement. Wastewater carries sludge, heavy metals, and chemicals, polluting local sources.
• Bottled Water Extension (Campa Sure): Enters ₹30,000 crore market with disruptive pricing but promotes unnecessary plastic bottling, generating microplastics, landfill waste, and virtual water exports. Scaling magnifies plastic pollution (Reliance recycles billions but expansion overwhelms systems).
• Health and Dehydration Paradox: Sugary drinks dehydrate (caffeine/phosphoric acid effects), fueling obesity, diabetes, and CVD—feeding pharma profits (Piramal ties). This embodies pharmakon: cola as “refreshment” that induces thirst and harm.
• Greenwashing and Compensatory CSR: Sustainability claims lack transparency; partial “green” efforts (e.g., recycling) distract from systemic extraction. Linked to Piramal’s Digwal effluents (poisoning groundwater, health issues like skin lesions), Sarvajal RO ATMs “purify” while wasting 3-4 liters per liter purified and stripping minerals—creating simulacra of purity amid corporate-induced scarcity.
• Broader Externalities: Plastic waste, energy-intensive production/refrigeration (HFCs), monoculture agriculture (sugarcane depletion), and eutrophication. Nationalist marketing externalizes costs to marginalized communities (caste/gender inequities in water access).

It could be argued that this creates systemic thirst: corporations engineer desire through branding, deplete resources, then offer commodified “solutions” (bottled water, RO), reinforcing dependency and oligarchic power.

Implications for Green Capitalism

Isha Ambani’s Campa Cola venture illustrates the pharmakon of thirst paradigm: a domestic reterritorialization of Coca-Cola capitalism that manufactures craving, extracts water, and greenwashes harms under affordability and nationalism. While disrupting markets, it perpetuates scarcity without addressing roots (e.g., over-extraction, pollution). True alternatives require community audits, strict water regulations, EPR for packaging, sugar taxes, and shifts to regenerative models over oligarchic commodification. This case highlights how “compassionate” capitalist ventures in beverages deepen the drinkable water crisis, prioritizing profit over ecological justice.

(Insights drawn from the referenced article, NGT cases, environmental reports, and critical analyses; specific data on extraction ratios and historical parallels enhance the critique of compensatory mechanisms.)

VII. Conclusion: The Looming Threat of “Water Wars” – Crises and Pathways

The escalating global water crisis, characterized by acute scarcity of drinkable water amid abundant but unusable resources, now threatens to evolve into widespread “water wars”—conflicts driven by competition over dwindling freshwater supplies. Recent assessments, including the UN’s 2026 flagship report declaring an era of “global water bankruptcy,” underscore that many water systems have crossed irreversible tipping points, with persistent over-withdrawal, groundwater depletion, and climate-induced disruptions rendering historical baselines unattainable. Water-related violence has surged dramatically: from around 20 incidents in 2010 to a record 419-420 in 2024 (per the Pacific Institute’s Water Conflict Chronology), nearly doubling since 2022 and quadrupling over five years. These include attacks on infrastructure in ongoing wars (e.g., Ukraine, Gaza), localized clashes in India, Iran, and Mexico, and tensions over transboundary rivers like the Nile, Indus, Helmand, and Colorado.

Ongoing and Upcoming Crises: The “Water Wars” Trajectory

The crisis manifests as both direct violence and indirect drivers of instability:

• Transboundary Flashpoints: Disputes over shared basins affect 40% of the world’s population. Key hotspots include:
  • Nile Basin (Egypt-Ethiopia over GERD).
  • Indus Basin (India-Pakistan treaty in abeyance amid geopolitical tensions).
  • Helmand River (Iran-Afghanistan clashes).
  • Mekong and other Asian rivers influenced by upstream damming.
• Intra-National and Localized Conflicts: In India, inter-state disputes (e.g., Cauvery between Karnataka-Tamil Nadu, Krishna, Yamuna) and groundwater depletion (e.g., Punjab at 46 cm/year loss, Eastern UP at 7 cm/year) fuel riots, migration, and regionalism. Globally, “day zero” emergencies recur in cities like Chennai, Cape Town, São Paulo, Tehran, and potentially Kabul or Mexico City (sinking due to aquifer over-pump).
• Projections for 2025-2030 and Beyond: Demand may exceed supply by 40% by decade’s end, displacing over 700 million by 2030 (UNICEF). Climate change amplifies risks: erratic monsoons, glacier melt (e.g., vanishing Himalayan sources for Ganges/Indus/Brahmaputra), and extreme events increase variability. In water-stressed regions like MENA (83% in extreme stress), South Asia, and the US Southwest, interconnected trade, migration, and geopolitics heighten fragility. Without intervention, water scarcity could drive 95% higher cross-border conflict risk this century, exacerbating food insecurity, displacement (32.6 million in 2023 alone), and instability.

These “wars” rarely involve outright military invasions over water alone but manifest as weaponized infrastructure, proxy conflicts, migration pressures, and socio-economic breakdowns—often intertwined with existing tensions.

Pathways: From Crisis Management to “Bankruptcy Management” (?)

The UN and global experts call for a paradigm shift: abandon short-term “crisis” fixes and adopt “bankruptcy management” to prevent further irreversible damage, rebalance demands within ecological limits, and ensure equitable transitions. Key recommendations include:

• Global and Regional Cooperation:
  • Strengthen transboundary agreements (e.g., revive Indus Waters Treaty mechanisms, enforce Nile/Helmand frameworks).
  • Prioritize diplomacy via milestones like the 2026 UN Water Conference (UAE/Senegal) and 2028 events.
  • Build early warning systems for floods/droughts (10x ROI, reducing damage by 30%).
• Demand-Side Transformations:
  • Decouple economic growth from water withdrawals through efficiency: drip irrigation, climate-smart agriculture (reducing 70% agricultural demand).
  • Curb over-extraction: regulate groundwater (e.g., India’s over-exploited aquifers), enforce “polluter pays,” and phase out water-intensive industries.
• Supply-Side and Ecosystem Restoration:
  • Protect “water towers” (mountains/glaciers) via the 2025 International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation.
  • Restore wetlands, recharge aquifers, and adopt nature-based solutions to buffer variability.
• Equity, Governance, and Innovation:
  • Ensure universal access (2.1 billion lack safe drinking water; 3.4 billion lack sanitation).
  • Shift from privatization/commodification (e.g., critiqued green capitalist models) to public-community hybrids with strict oversight.
  • Invest in resilient infrastructure, wastewater recycling, desalination (with brine management), and monitoring (e.g., IoT for quality).
• India-Specific Imperatives:
  • Resolve inter-state disputes through federal mechanisms (Jal Shakti Ministry).
  • Halt groundwater over-exploitation via pricing, metering, and recharge programs.
  • Integrate climate adaptation in agriculture and urban planning to avert internal “wars.”

In conclusion, the irony of “water, water everywhere, nor any a drop to drink” has morphed into a existential threat: abundance masked by contamination, overuse, and inequity now risks violent contestation. Yet solutions exist within reach—rooted in cooperation, demand reduction, ecosystem protection, and justice. Failure to act decisively will deepen ecological damage, fuel conflicts, and disproportionately burden the vulnerable. The 2026-2030 window, culminating in SDG 6 deadlines, demands urgent, systemic reset: treat water not as a commodity for profit but as a shared commons essential for survival and peace. Only through collective, transformative action can humanity avert the full realization of “water wars” and secure a sustainable future.

SEE ALSO:

Digwal’s Defiance: Resisting Big Pharma VIEW HERE ⤡ @Fridays For Future International Newsletter

La rébellion de Digwal : résister aux géants pharmaceutiques VIEW HERE ⤡ @Fridays For Future International Newsletter (French Edition)

Appendix:

Contributions of Rajendra Singh, the “Waterman of India”

Rajendra Singh, widely known as the “Waterman of India” or “Jal Purush,” is a pioneering water conservationist and environmental activist who has transformed arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan through community-driven, traditional rainwater harvesting techniques. Born in 1959, he left his career as an Ayurvedic doctor in the 1980s to address acute water scarcity in rural Alwar district. Founding and leading Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS)—an NGO established in 1975 but revitalized under his leadership from 1985—he has mobilized villagers to revive ancient practices, emphasizing grassroots empowerment, ecological restoration, and opposition to destructive activities like illegal mining.

Key Contributions and Achievements

• Revival of Traditional Rainwater Harvesting Structures: Singh popularized and modernized johads (traditional crescent-shaped earthen check dams or small ponds) to capture monsoon runoff, recharge groundwater, and prevent flash floods. These low-cost, community-built structures allow water to percolate into the soil, raising water tables and refilling dry wells.
  • TBS has constructed or restored over 15,800 johads and other water harvesting structures across Rajasthan and beyond, benefiting more than 2,000 villages.
  • This has conserved billions of liters of water annually (e.g., TBS reports ~100 billion liters conserved yearly through ongoing efforts).
• River Rejuvenation: Starting with a single village in 1985, Singh’s work revived multiple rivers that had dried up for decades due to over-extraction and neglect.
  • Notable revivals include the Arvari, Ruparel, Sarsa, Bhagani, and Jahajwali rivers in Rajasthan’s Alwar region.
  • TBS has successfully rejuvenated over 14 rivers across states, including additional ones like Sabi, Maheshwara, Icchanahalla (Karnataka), Agrani and Mahakali (Maharashtra), and several in the Chambal basin (e.g., Sairani, Parvati, Badyah, Nehro, Bhavani, Tevar).
  • These efforts restored perennial flow, revived ecosystems, boosted agriculture, increased livestock productivity, doubled farmers’ incomes in many areas, and reduced migration.
• Community Empowerment and Broader Impact: Singh’s approach fosters village self-rule (“Gram Swaraj”), involving women in water management (e.g., through Mahila Sangathans and banks), creating livelihoods, improving school enrollment, and transforming lives in bandit-prone ravines of Chambal.
  • He has fought bureaucracy and mining lobbies, protecting watersheds near Sariska Tiger Reserve and promoting forest conservation campaigns (e.g., “Ped Bachao Ped Lagao Padayatra,” “Aravalli Bachao Yatra”).
  • Global outreach includes World Water Peace Walks across continents to share grassroots solutions, and leadership in initiatives like the People’s World Commission on Drought and Flood (Chair since 2023).
• Advocacy and Policy Influence: Singh advocates for river rejuvenation as a national program, water literacy, intra-basin solutions over interlinking rivers, and community management. He supports the “Nirmal Aviral Ganga” mission and has influenced policies through marches (e.g., National Water March in 2002 covering 144 river basins) and collaborations.

Major Awards and Recognitions

• Ramon Magsaysay Award (2001) for Community Leadership, recognizing his pioneering community-based water harvesting and management.
• Stockholm Water Prize (2015), often called the “Nobel Prize for Water,” for innovative restoration efforts improving rural water security.
• Other honors: Jamnalal Bajaj Award (2005) for rural development through science and technology; Rotary India Award (1994); Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar; Chirmule Award (2022) for water conservation and social work; Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award (2025) for lifelong dedication to river rejuvenation and community change.

Rajendra Singh’s model demonstrates scalable, low-tech, community-led alternatives to centralized or market-driven solutions, directly countering the anthropogenic drivers of water scarcity discussed in the main paper. His work revives natural recharge, reduces dependency on over-exploited groundwater, and promotes equity—offering a hopeful, regenerative pathway amid the looming “water wars.” As of 2025-2026, TBS continues active programs in efficient irrigation, drought/flood mitigation, and global advocacy, underscoring the enduring relevance of traditional wisdom in addressing modern crises.