Nature Communications (Sep 2016)

Megacity pumping and preferential flow threaten groundwater quality

  • Mahfuzur R. Khan,
  • Mohammad Koneshloo,
  • Peter S. K. Knappett,
  • Kazi M. Ahmed,
  • Benjamin C. Bostick,
  • Brian J. Mailloux,
  • Rajib H. Mozumder,
  • Anwar Zahid,
  • Charles F. Harvey,
  • Alexander van Geen,
  • Holly A. Michael

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12833
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Megacities rely on groundwater from aquifers that may be over-exploited and be at risk of contamination. Khan et al. evaluate the complex aquifers supplying Dhaka, Bangladesh and show that extensive groundwater pumping could lead to unpredictable future arsenic contamination in deep aquifers outside the city.