Research on the topic - Groundwater Quality Impacted by Climate Change for Millions
As temperatures continue to rise, experts predict that close to a billion people could be living in regions by the end of the century where the quality of groundwater is compromised, potentially threatening their health. According to Susanne Benz from the Institute for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), this means the water in these areas should be treated before consumption, like boiling. Benz states that "up to several hundred million people could be affected by these conditions."
Groundwater Quality and Health Risks
It seems that the temperature of the groundwater has a significant impact on its quality. Hazardous substances such as arsen or mangan can accumulate at higher temperatures, which can negatively affect human health if used as a drinking water source. Additionally, disease-causing bacteria like Legionella may spread.
Impact on Biodiversity
Apparently, rising water temperatures also impact biodiversity. For instance, fish like salmon rely on rivers fed by groundwater for spawning. If these rivers become too warm, it may endanger their reproduction process.
Groundwater Temperature Predictions
Until recently, there wasn't much knowledge about how the increasing surface temperature due to climate change affects groundwater. Researchers led by Benz have now forecasted changes in groundwater temperatures worldwide up to 2100. Results from this study were published in the journal "Nature Geoscience."
Concern for Groundwater Protection
The team analyzed the effect of varying levels of greenhouse gas emissions. In the medium scenario, groundwater temperatures rise by 2.1 degrees, while in the extreme scenario, they increase by 3.5 degrees. In these scenarios, 77 to 188 million people or 59 to 588 million people could reside in areas where groundwater temperatures exceed the highest groundwater temperature limit for drinking water.
These significant fluctuations depend on the climate change variability and population growth. The lowest warming rates are expected in mountains with deep groundwater tables, like the Andes or the Rockies.
Currently, approximately 30 million people populate areas where groundwater is hotter than the strictest drinking water standards allow. "These findings underline the importance of preserving and safeguarding groundwater resources and finding creative ways to mitigate the impact of climate change on groundwater," emphasized Benz.```
