The two correct answers regarding how salt water intrusion impacts the water supply are:
- It decreases the amount of usable drinking water.
- It causes salt water to mix with fresh water.
Salt water intrusion typically leads to the contamination of fresh water supplies, making them less suitable for drinking and agricultural use. It can occur when over-pumping of groundwater lowers the pressure in aquifers, allowing salt water from nearby bodies of water to intrude into the freshwater supply.