It can. Lowering groundwater levels can cause settlement that affects nearby structures. As groundwater drops, the soil carries more load, and compressible layers such as soft clays, loose silts or sabkha can settle. ACTION International Services models how far drawdown reaches beyond the site and designs controls to limit it, such as cut-offs, staged pumping or recharge wells that hold groundwater levels beneath sensitive structures, with groundwater levels and settlement checked while pumping runs.