Why is karst important?Why is karst important?

About 700 million people worldwide depend on groundwater in karst aquifers as their main source of water. The world’s largest springs and most productive water wells flow from karst. But karst aquifers are easily contaminated and poorly understood. For example, karst groundwater pollution, in May 2000 in Canada, resulted in the death of seven people and illness in 2,300 more. Karst aquifers require greater protection than non-karst aquifers. Without an accurate understanding of cave and karst environments, citizens, developers, and policymakers are ill-equipped to make effective decisions about using and managing karst and its resources.

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