Accounting for approximately 99% of all liquid freshwater on Earth, groundwater has the potential to provide societies with tremendous social, economic and environmental benefits and opportunities. Groundwater already provides half of the volume of water withdrawn for domestic use by the global population, including drinking water for the vast majority of the rural population who do not get their water delivered to them via public or private supply systems, and around 25% of all water withdrawn for irrigation.
However, this natural resource is often poorly understood, and consequently undervalued, mismanaged and even abused, rendering it vulnerable to depletion and pollution. In the context of growing water scarcity across many parts of the world, the vast potential of groundwater and the need to manage it sustainably can no longer be overlooked.
The 2022 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report, titled “Groundwater: Making the invisible visible”, describes the challenges and opportunities associated with the development, management and governance of groundwater throughout the world.
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