Major threats to drinking water resources around the world identified 00:55

German scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry have discovered that both severe droughts and extreme rainfall threaten the quality and stability of groundwater, the source of drinking water for billions of people around the world. The research was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature Communications (NatComms).

Aquifers are generally fed by precipitation seeping through the soil. During this process, surface substances are removed from the water and taken up by soil organisms. This natural filtration process creates a highly purified groundwater source.

However, sometimes precipitation can rapidly penetrate deeper into the soil, avoiding cleanup and causing large amounts of solutes to be transported from the surface and upper soil layers directly into the aquifer.

This is especially true after heavy rains and dry spells. Prolonged droughts can create cracks in the soil and reduce the absorption of rainwater by the upper soil layers. Under these conditions, water flows directly into groundwater or enters rivers, lakes and oceans.

In the new study, the team conducted eight years of groundwater analyzes in Germany in collaboration with a large research group. They used dissolved organic matter detection as an indicator of water contaminants and confirmed fundamental changes in groundwater stability.

Scientists found consistent long-term trends: an increase in the amount of surface organic matter accumulating in groundwater and a decrease in groundwater levels. They were also able to clearly link this increased groundwater pollution to extreme weather events.

According to the authors of the analysis, the new method will help identify risks to groundwater quality in the aquifer.

Previous scientists I learnedtoxic “forever chemicals” could contaminate groundwater for decades, he said.