Recommendations of Controlling Saltwater Intrusion in an Inland Aquifer for Drinking-Water Supply at a Certain Waterworks Site in Berlin (Germany)

Abstract

Saltwater intrusion is a widespread contamination problem of continuing great practical interest in many coastal and inland aquifers all over the world. Therefore, it is highly desirable to properly manage groundwater resources for drinking-water supply by controlling saltwater intrusion. This paper proposes to provide two recommendations of controlling saltwater intrusion in an inland aquifer for drinking-water supply at a certain waterworks site in Berlin (Germany) on the basis of the validated source of saltwater intrusion as well as pumping optimization, using a density-dependent groundwater flow and solute transport model. In terms of pumping-rate reduction, the optimal pumping rate was validated for eliminating the effect of saltwater intrusion. Without consideration of scenario conditions, its value could be set 1.39 × 10−2 m3/s (50 m3/h) or 5.56 × 10−3 m3/s (20 m3/h), if the requirement of drinking water palatability were good or excellent, respectively. With regard to pumping-pattern rearrangement, the well construction was modified to access bank filtration for eliminating the effect of saltwater intrusion.