Saltwater intrusion is the infiltration of saltwater into coastal aquifers and surface waters. Regions with a high population density are often particularly affected by saline intrusion due to excessive groundwater extraction. It poses a major threat to the drinking water supply in coastal areas and particularly affects drinking water management and production in agriculture and forestry.
The risk assessment is based on the potential for saltwater intrusion which takes into account various factors such as population density and distance from the coast (up to a maximum of 150 km).