Why in news?

• Report titled ‘Groundwater: Making the invisible visible’ describes the challenges and opportunities associated with development, management and governance of groundwater.
• Report is released by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water, which coordinates efforts of UN entities and international organizations working on water and sanitation issues.
• Key findings
• Groundwater presently provides half of the volume of water withdrawn for domestic use by global population and around 25% of all water used for Irrigation.
• An estimated four billion people live in areas that suffer from severe physical water scarcity for at least one month per year.
• Development of groundwater could act as a catalyst for economic growth by increasing extent of irrigated areas and therefore improving agricultural yields and crop diversity.
• India is largest groundwater-user globally followed by China and Pakistan.
• China, India, Iran, Pakistan and US account for about 70% of unsustainable water footprint.
• Recommendations
• Collecting groundwater data for monitoring.
• Strengthening environmental regulations for groundwater pollution.
• Reinforcing human, material and financial resources by way of increasing groundwater professionals among the staff of institutions as well as local and national government.
• Financing and supporting groundwater departments/agencies.