Saltwater intrusion occurs naturally along the thousands of miles of U.S. coastline, though it is exacerbated by climatic events and increased water demand driven by population growth.
With the number of Americans living in coastal counties expected to reach 49 percent of the U.S. population by 2020, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), increased demand will put additional pressure on water tables and disrupt the delicate groundwater/saltwater balance.