Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of groundwater?

Groundwater is characterized by certain attributes that distinguish it from surface water. One of the key characteristics is that accessing groundwater is typically more expensive than accessing surface water. This is due to the fact that extracting groundwater often requires drilling wells and implementing pumping systems, which entails significant investment in infrastructure and ongoing maintenance costs.

Among the other statements, the absence of most bacteria in groundwater is generally true because the soil and rock layers above the water table can provide a natural filtration process. Additionally, evaporation is minimal in groundwater since it is stored underground, making it less susceptible to direct evaporation compared to surface water bodies like lakes or rivers. This sharp contrast in cost and accessibility between groundwater and surface water highlights why it is seen as more expensive to access groundwater.