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4.8.2.        Socio-economic impacts

The deterioration of a groundwater body to a poor quantitative status or the absence of improvement from a poor quantitative status may propagate into wider socio-economic impacts. Therefore, the management of water abstractions is important not only from environmental, but also from a socio-economic perspective. For example, this may cause limitations to the water supply from this source. Furthermore, in the case of a drought, groundwater might not support water supply the way it used in the past with negative consequences for the relevant water uses (e.g. drinking water). Water shortages can cause damages to high-added-value sectors like tourism and water-dependent industries. Due to the hydraulic connections between groundwater and surface water bodies, low groundwater levels may result in low recharge into rivers and lakes; thus, affecting the surface water availability also. Low discharges in rivers may affect water-dependent electricity production from thermal and nuclear power plants or hydropower facilities. In addition, low water availability can cause loss of crop yields and harvested production in agriculture and increased costs for irrigation water supply. There are also cases where the drawdown of groundwater tables has caused damages to infrastructures, due to land subsidence.