Arresting/Controlling Saltwater Contamination of Coastal Aquifers

Abstract

The demand for water in coastal zones increases with expanding urbanization. As populations grow, their needs for potable water, safe water for cooking and personal hygiene grows as does water for food security (e.g., for irrigation agriculture, animal husbandry). Added to this is the desire of many governments to attract manufacturing/industrial development that requires much water but creates employment and sources of taxation. The cheapest source of water is from aquifers because groundwater requires less treatment than would surface waters that may be available. Cities worldwide are growing so that in 2018, 4.1 billion people of the world population of 7.6 billion live in cities and urban agglomerations. One billion live in coastal regions. City populations are projected to increase to 6.9 billion people of the 9.9 billion global population in 2050 [1]. The number of people living in coastal cities is likely to increase as well. There are problems today in meeting the safe water requirements of people, agriculture, and manufacturing/industrial projects that include water from coastal aquifers, so what can be expected in the future?