Groundwater salinisation costs

Groundwater salinization does not go without costs. Direct financial costs for groundwater users or beneficiaries may rise since the drinking water price may go up in case of high TDS levels necessitating additional purification treatment. Farmers may experience decreased agricultural profits since crop yields may be suboptimal and parts of the land need to be abandoned in case of high soil and water salinity. Industrial producers may face increased production and maintenance cost when groundwater with high TDS is used in their processes.

On a larger scale, groundwater salinization may cause significant societal economic costs. Maintenance of corroded roads, sewage works and building foundations make huge cuts in budget of governments. Large-scale salinization in the agricultural sector may result in various kinds very costly interrelated socio-economic problems like loss of livelihood, unemployment, migration and food insecurity. On top of these economic costs are the non-market costs of salinization, such as the visual effects, the ecological damage done to environments, and in some instances, the total loss of wetlands.

Extreme dryland salinity in Australia