Safe water in India: water tests, scarcity and what to store

Short answer. Phaenyx found no national system for boil-water or do-not-drink notices in India: follow instructions from your municipal body or water supplier. The national JJM-WQMIS portal tracks drinking water testing and lets you locate testing labs near you ¹. NDMA asks households to keep packed and sealed water and chlorine tablets in the emergency kit, with no quantity ². City water stress is "extremely high" ⁴.

How do I know if my tap water is unsafe?

Phaenyx found no national register or feed of boil-water or do-not-drink notices in India. If your municipal corporation, water board or the authorities tell you to boil or not to drink the water, follow that instruction. See What to do during a boil-water notice and Do-not-drink notices.

For testing, the Ministry of Jal Shakti runs the Jal Jeevan Mission Water Quality Management Information System (JJM-WQMIS) ¹. It reports the status of drinking water samples tested in laboratories and with Field Testing Kits (FTK) in 2026-27, by state and union territory, including samples found contaminated and remedial action taken ¹. It has a "Locate labs near you" function and a login for public users ¹. It also counts women trained to test water samples with Field Testing Kits ¹. For what a test result can tell you, see Reading a tap water quality report. Our India alerts page explains how official warnings reach you.

How much water should I store?

NDMA gives no quantity. Its disaster emergency kit includes emergency food (dry items) and water (packed and sealed), plus chlorine tablets or powdered water purifiers ². When your area is under a cyclone warning, it adds extra drinking water stored in suitably covered vessels ³. Details are on our India emergency supplies page and the kit checklist. For the volumes other agencies use, see How much water to store per person per day?, Water storage containers and How to purify water.

Is India short of water?

Yes, in most cities. In WRI's Aqueduct 4.0 model, the population-weighted median of Indian cities falls in the "extremely high" category for current water stress, stays "extremely high" in the 2050 business-as-usual projection, and is "medium to high" for drought risk ⁴. These are city medians across a very large country: a given area can sit higher or lower.

Phaenyx found no national feed of water restrictions or drought declarations. If your supply is cut or rationed, a stored supply is the buffer: see No running water at home and Drought preparedness.

Private wells and handpumps

Phaenyx found no official national guidance for households that rely on their own well or borewell. For general advice, see Private wells in an emergency; WQMIS can help you locate a testing lab ¹.

What should I do after a flood?

Follow official instructions on drinking water. See Water safety after a flood and Emergency water filters. A household plan can keep your water stock and emergency contacts in one place.

Frequently asked questions

Where are boil-water notices published in India?

Phaenyx found no national system. Notices come from local bodies and suppliers; follow their instructions.

How can I get my drinking water tested?

JJM-WQMIS has a "Locate labs near you" function listing testing laboratories ¹.

How much water does NDMA say to store?

No quantity. NDMA asks for packed and sealed water in the kit, and extra drinking water in covered vessels before a cyclone ²³.

Is water stress in India expected to ease by 2050?

Not in WRI's business-as-usual projection: the city median stays "extremely high" ⁴.

Sources

1. Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti — JJM-WQMIS — Jal Jeevan Mission Water Quality Management Information System — https://ejalshakti.gov.in/WQMIS/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
2. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India — Earthquakes: Do's & Dont's — https://ndma.gov.in/Natural-Hazards/Earthquakes/Dos-Donts (accessed 2026-10-27; checked on archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/20250430010840/http://www.ndma.gov.in/Natural-Hazards/Earthquakes/Dos-Donts)
3. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) — Cyclone: Do's & Dont's — https://ndma.gov.in/Natural-Hazards/Cyclone/Dos-Donts (accessed 2026-10-27; checked on archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/20250517144146/http://www.ndma.gov.in/Natural-Hazards/Cyclone/Dos-Donts)
4. World Resources Institute (WRI) — Aqueduct 4.0 (water stress, 2050 projection and drought risk) — https://www.wri.org/aqueduct (accessed 2026-10-27)