As the predominant reservoir of freshwater on Earth, groundwater provides an important source of water supply for drinking, irrigation and industry and contributes to sustaining groundwater-dependent ecosystems, such as streams and wetlands. Pressures on the quantity and quality of the resource have increased significantly over recent decades. Globally, groundwater withdrawals have risen sharply; nearly tenfold in the past 50 years (Shah et al., 2007). At the same time, the resource is becoming increasingly degraded due to pollution and saline intrusion. Unsustainable groundwater use creates negative environmental externalities, including land subsidence, saline intrusion and the deterioration of groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Groundwater depletion also increases the cost of use, as pumping is required from ever-increasing depths, which may disadvantage small scale users. This depletion can also result in water shortage directly affecting users, with an impact on economic activities.