Pros and Cons of Tapping into Groundwater Reserves

The process by which water enters aquifers is started with infiltration (when the rainwater first seeps into the ground) and finishes with percolation (when water reaches deep reserves after passing through layers of rocks and is purified). However, this natural and important process cannot occur if there are impervious surfaces such as concrete that stop the water from entering the ground in the first place. It is true that most aquifers will replenish themselves if given enough time but it is also true that most of them are tapped out faster than they are renewed. They are vital sources of drinking water for much of the Earth's population. They are especially important to those living in rural areas where they must pump their own water.
The advantage of tapping into groundwater is that the water is suitable for drinking and is good for use in irrigation. The water is packed with essential minerals and nutrients and does not even need to be purified. The Earth takes care of the entire process. Also, groundwater is usually available everywhere there is precipitation. Water in the ground also has the added bonus of not evaporating like water on the surface. It is also cheaper to harvest than most water at the surface simply because of the processes of purification that must go into surface water to make it drinkable or suitable for agricultural purposes.
The downside to withdrawing groundwater is as follows. It can quite often result in Aquifer depletion as a result of over pumping. The land will literally collapse when enough water is pumped out and polluted aquifers are unsuitable for use for a very long time because the contamination stays in the aquifer. Aquifers are also important contributors to the water cycle. Pumping too much water out will cause noticeably reduced water flows into streams, lakes, estuaries, and wetlands that could have major implications on the wildlife that call those environments home. Also, as more water is pumped out, it costs more to extract what is left. If too much water is removed, it could cause a drastic change to the environment itself.