Dealing with the problem

The availability of fresh water is a very important resource, so when the resource is threatened governments are prepared to spend a lot of time and money addressing the problem. Preventive and managing action can be grouped into three groups: legislative, scientific monitoring and assessment and engineering techniques.

Legislative actions

The government decrees new wells further inland, less pumping from existing wells and laws of water conservation techniques for home owners and companies. This will allow the groundwater to replenish and press the saline water back to it's original boundaries.

Scientific monitoring and assessment

Usually the government in charge of the public water supply has a number of monitoring wells, these act as an early warning system for detecting saline water intrusion or other kinds of pollutants. It is closely related to the legislative actions of a government.

Engineering techniques

A lot of new techniques are under development to prevent saline water intrusion, and sometimes restore groundwater quality.

• Aquifer storage and recovery. This technique is basically pumping excess water down into aquifers during rainy seasons and then pumping it back up again when the need is higher. This should prevent the depletion of existing water supplies during dry season.
• Artificial groundwater. Producing groundwater can be done in several ways, the most common way is to pump water into them from inland, this will keep the pressure up in the costal regions and prevent seawater intrusion.
• Revers osmosis. This is a membrane filtration technique method used to produce fresh water from saline or brackish water. By applying an external pressure one is able to reverse the effect of osmosis.
• Controlled drainage. By controlling canals and other drainage structures one can prevent seawater intrusion.

Prevention of a canal becoming a conveyer belt for seawater intrusion