Why we have water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink

EVERY farmer knows if you dig a drain you first have for figure out where the water is going to flow.

So it is important that when planning permission is given for houses that the water table depth is taken into consideration.

In many cases this was ignored and that is why new residents are so shocked to find themselves up to their knees in floodwater. In many cases their houses were built on flood plains. Should they sue the authorities for not doing their job? In the US this avenue of action would be a given.