Groundwater Status of India
How much groundwater is left, and where it is running out. India's aquifers are assessed unit by unit and graded from Safe to Over-Exploited — here is what that means, with the national numbers, in plain language.
India at a glance (2023)
6,553
Total assessment units
blocks / taluks / mandals assessed
736
Over-Exploited units
11.23% of all units
59.26%
Stage of extraction
national average
241 / 449
Extraction / recharge (BCM)
annual, billion cubic metres
Across India, groundwater extraction averages just under 60% of what is recharged each year — a national number that hides sharp local extremes. While the country as a whole has margin, 736 assessment units are Over-Exploited, taking out more water than nature replaces, concentrated in states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and Tamil Nadu.
What the four categories mean
Every assessment unit is graded by its stage of extraction — the share of the annually replenishable groundwater that is actually pumped out:
| Category | Stage of extraction | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Safe | ≤ 70% | Extraction is well within the annual replenishment — headroom for use. |
| Semi-Critical | > 70% – 90% | Extraction is approaching recharge; use should be monitored and managed. |
| Critical | > 90% – 100% | Extraction is almost equal to recharge; little to no margin left. |
| Over-Exploited | > 100% | More groundwater is taken out than nature puts back — the aquifer is depleting. |
Why this matters for industry
Groundwater status is not just an environmental statistic — it directly shapes what industries can and cannot do:
- In Over-Exploited and Critical areas, drawing fresh groundwater for industrial use is restricted, and permissions (NOCs) are hard to get or come with strict conditions.
- This pushes plants toward recycling and reusing their own treated water instead of extracting more.
- In the most stressed areas, regulators increasingly expect Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), where effluent is treated and reused so that almost no water leaves the site.
In other words, the areas coloured red on a groundwater map are exactly where water reuse pays back fastest — see our ZLD plant cost guide and water recovery technologies.
State & district explorer
We are building an interactive map and searchable tables so you can see the groundwater category of every state, district and block in India — and how it has changed. This page will grow into the full explorer.
Data source & attribution
- Last updated
- Assessment year 2023
Figures are national totals from the CGWB Dynamic Ground Water Resources assessment. Categories follow CGWB's stage-of-extraction thresholds. This page presents public data for general understanding; for site-specific decisions, refer to the latest CGWB report and your State Ground Water Authority.
Is your plant in a water-stressed area?
If groundwater is restricted where you operate, treating and reusing your own water is usually the most reliable — and often the cheapest — path forward. Our engineers can help you plan it.