Coastal Basements and Underground Utilities Will Be At Risk as Global Warming Advances

Basements of some coastal area buildings and underground utilities may be at risk of being inundated by rising groundwater by the end of the 21^st century due to projected rates of sea level rise for the area, according to a preliminary study by the U. S. Geological Survey and Yale University.

“An underappreciated aspect of climate change is going to be the rising toll on property owners in the coastal zone from effects such as the one identified in this report: rising ground water that produces water damage in basements that for decades and possibly a century were dry,” said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. “Utility bills will also rise to re-engineer utilities that were not designed to be installed completely above ground, as in the case in more temperate climates farther south.”

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