The Indian state of Meghalaya is one of the wettest places on Earth. Yet, paradoxically, in some of the areas with the highest rainfall counts, villagers have had to spend hours fetching water — an activity traditionally carried out by girls and women — like single mother Monica Nongrum. So why are springs drying up here despite the abundant precipitation? What have grassroots initiatives been doing to improve the situation. And how has the state government been backing those efforts? While challenges remain, community and youth activists, environmental scientists and the authorities are making a difference in Pongkung and other villages in India’s northeast.