Concerned over climate change that trigger heatwaves and droughts, drying up rivers and impacting rainfall patterns, India and France are preparing water conservation strategies to deal with the crisis.

The overheating and plummeting water level in the rivers in France might lead to a temporary shutdown of its nuclear power stations. While a delay in the monsoons in India has further aggravated their water crisis. Its southern city Chennai continues to face an acute water crisis as its main reservoir has nearly dried up. 

With the River Vienne flowing at a historic low in France, operators are worried about Civaux nuclear power station's operations. A similar situation prevails for four nuclear plants along the River Loire that needs water to cool reactors.

Nuclear power meets nearly two-thirds of the country’s electricity demand, which peaks during summer months. Last year, unusually high temperatures in the country led to a temporary shutdown of the reactors located along the Rhone and Rhine Rivers, Reuters reported. The electric supply company, Électricité de France halted two reactors at St. Alban and Fessenheim.

French Environment Minister Francois de Rugy, citing a government report said in the next few decades situation is likely to get worse with the discharge volume of French rivers likely to plummet by 10 to 40 percent.

In order to resolve the water crisis, the government is planning to reduce water consumption by nearly 25 percent in the next 15 years.

The French government is aiming at reducing water use by encouraging wastewater recycling and encouraging consumers to use less water as the flow of rivers gradually slows due to climate change, according to Reuters.

Among the European countries, France has one of the lowest rates of water recycling. The country recycles only one percent of the total wastewater.

Equally surprising are the rainwater harvesting figures in India. The country harvests only eight percent of the water received from rains, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his first weekly address to the nation after being re-elected to power for the second term. 

With 255 water stressed districts staring at droughts, the government launched a campaign to conserve water sources like ponds, rivers and wells. The government also created a separate water ministry to deal with the crisis.

The campaign that started on Monday focuses on creating rainwater harvesting infrastructure including check dams, ponds and watershed structures to prevent rainwater run-off.

“In this campaign not only should we focus on water-related problems but propagate ways to save water as well,” Modi said.