A 'hidden crisis': Millions of groundwater wells are at risk of running dry, scientists find
Ian James, Arizona Republic
When a well runs dry, people who rely on the water often have no warning. As the water table dips lower, the pump will begin to suck air and faucets will sputter as water stops flowing.
The consequences of years of gradual declines in groundwater suddenly become visible, leaving people struggling with the costs of drilling a deeper well or finding water from another source.
New research shows that in dozens of countries around the world, from the United States to India, wells are increasingly at risk. With even moderate declines in groundwater levels, researchers have found, millions of wells could run dry.