As the glaciers of South America retreat,
the supply of freshwater is dwindling
and its quality is getting worse.
The Cordillera Blanca mountain range harbors the world’s largest concentration of tropical glaciers,
which are particularly sensitive to rising temperatures and are a major source of freshwater in Peru.
For thousands of years, the glaciers were replenished with ice in the winter.
But they have shrunk by more than 40 percent since 1968,
uncovering rocks that, when exposed to the elements, can trigger chemical reactions that leach toxic metals into the water and turn it acidic.
The process, known as #acid #rock #drainage,
“creates a cascade reaction that pollutes water sources,”
said Raúl Loayza, a biologist at Peru’s Cayetano Heredia University who researches water quality in the Andes.
“It’s a big problem and is getting worse and worse.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/19/science/peru-glaciers-water-pollution.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare