Humans have dug wells as early as 8500 years before Christ to obtain water sources. It is still used as a source of irrigation in the United States for example for agriculture. According to a study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, the earth is now tilting and the sea level is rising due to human activity pumping out water from underground.
The Earth's rotation axis now points to 64.16° eastward at a speed of 4.36 cm per year between 1993–2010 due to the decreasing groundwater content. In just two decades, the earth's axis moved 70 cm from the original axis.
It also caused the sea level to rise by 6.24 millimeters in the same period. Although not a large number (higher than the thickness of a Huawei Mate X3), it contributes to the destruction of animal habitats and will cause human habitations in the coastal areas to be threatened.
Like petroleum, groundwater reserves are a limited resource. Scientists believe that when used it will take decades before the reservoir will return to its original level. In addition to the risk of the earth tilting and the sea level rising, groundwater extraction will cause precipitation when the now empty water reservoir collapses.