How did shallow wells become an early innovation in water supply?

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water supply system The primary water reservoir of São Paulo, Braz.

The digging of shallow wells is considered the earliest innovation in the development of water resources beyond their natural state in springs, lakes, and rivers.1

As early settled communities grew, water became a critical factor in their location, necessitating methods to access and manage local supplies. Shallow wells emerged as a fundamental solution to provide reliable access to groundwater for these developing populations. Over time, as tools improved and the demand for water increased, these early wells were made deeper, eventually leading to more sophisticated structures such as brick-lined wells, which were utilized in the Indus River basin as early as 2500 bce.1