A DEPLETING RESOURCE?
As a source of fresh water, people have been tapping into groundwater for around 8,000 years. Whether it’s to quench our thirst or hydrate croplands, we heavily rely on groundwater in our day-to-day lives. It’s estimated that groundwater is used for drinking water by around 50 per cent of people in the US alone. However, some research has shown that groundwater resources are facing depletion without sufficient recharging. In a 2024 study of 170,000 wells across 40 countries, researchers at University College London (UCL) found that groundwater levels have been falling by more than 50 centimetres each year since 2000. Over-extraction and land use were among explanations for the decline.