Water is a State List subject that covers water supply, irrigation and canals, drainage and embankments, water storage and water power. It is listed as Entry 17 in List II of Schedule VII of the Indian Constitution. Overexploitation of ground water due to rising demand, along with declining surface flows due to climate change and other factors, foreshadows cataclysmic consequences in the not-too-distant future. Contamination of ground and surface water as a result of industrialization and urbanisation has aggravated the situation, as the usable quantity of this precious resource, which was formerly thought to be almost free, has decreased dramatically in recent decades. Today, there is a severe threat to ground and surface water security, particularly access to healthy water for livelihood and drinking, endangering present and future generations.