What impact does urbanization have on groundwater resources?

Urbanization significantly impacts groundwater resources primarily by reducing groundwater recharge. As cities expand, natural landscapes are transformed into impermeable surfaces such as roads, parking lots, and buildings. These surfaces prevent rainwater from infiltrating the ground, limiting the amount of water that can percolate into the aquifers and replenish groundwater supplies.

Unlike areas with vegetation and soil, urban environments lack the natural systems that facilitate groundwater recharge. This can lead to over-extraction of groundwater resources, as cities rely more on these dwindling supplies for their growing populations. Consequently, as urbanization continues, the ability of the groundwater system to regenerate is compromised, leading to potential water scarcity issues.

The other options do not accurately represent the typical effects of urbanization on groundwater. Urbanization does not increase permeability, as it often decreases it due to the creation of impermeable surfaces. While some urban infrastructure may improve water quality through managed systems, urban environments generally do not enhance natural filtration processes on a broad scale. Rather, they can introduce pollutants into groundwater systems. Stating that urbanization stabilizes water quality overlooks the common issues of contamination and the disruption of natural hydrological cycles that often accompany urban expansion.