ABSTRACT
Groundwater represents the largest reserve of available freshwater resources, providing a reliable source of water for human use. A large part of the world’s urban population today depends on groundwater for its drinking water. In general, groundwater is of a good quality – superior to that of surface water – and has modest treatment requirements. Because groundwater resources can be developed easily and with relatively low costs, they are used extensively for domestic, industrial and agricultural water supply throughout the world. The importance of groundwater in urban areas is recognized not only as a valuable source of good quality water, but also for its role in the urban water cycle and in mitigating the impact of drought on urban water systems. Groundwater resources in and around most urban areas are under threat as a result of over-exploitation and degradation due to pollution.
