Walk uphill from almost any Himalayan village and you will find water: a stream, a spring, a pipe run from a source. Farming, cooking and washing all depend on it. This article shows a short video from a hill stream in Uttarakhand and summarises what a national report says about Himalayan springs.
What a national report says
Down To Earth reported in August 2018 on a NITI Aayog report on Himalayan springs. According to that article:
- India has about 5 million springs, nearly 3 million of them in the Indian Himalayan Region.
- Nearly 50 percent of springs in the region were reported to be drying up.
- Over 200 million people in India depend on springs, including 50 million in the region's 12 states. Thousands of villages rely on spring water for drinking and irrigation.
- In Almora, Uttarakhand, functional springs were reported to have fallen from 360 to 60 over 150 years.
These are figures from a report published in 2018. We cite them to explain why water matters in the hills, and they should not be read as the current state of any one village.
What this means for a visitor
- Use water sparingly. Short showers and asking before you wash clothes are small courtesies. Your host knows how much water the household has.
- Ask where it comes from. A source may be shared by several houses.
- Keep sources clean. Do not wash, bathe or throw waste in streams or at a spring.
- Carry a refillable bottle, and ask your host about safe drinking water. Do not assume stream water is safe to drink.
More on conduct in visiting a village responsibly.
Water and the farm
Terraced fields depend on water arriving at the right time. Read how a hill field looks across crops and the harvest calendar. Our village programmes are on the agro-tourism page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is stream water in the hills safe to drink?
Do not assume it is. Ask your host and carry safe drinking water.
Why do springs matter?
According to the report cited, thousands of Himalayan villages rely on springs for drinking and irrigation.
How can guests save water?
Take short showers, ask before laundering and follow your host's guidance.
Last updated: 18 October 2026.
Sources: Kiran Pandey, "Crisis in the Himalayas: Nearly 50% perennial springs in the region have dried up", Down To Earth, 30 August 2018, reporting a NITI Aayog report. Video and photographs by Himalayan Region.