Groundwater
Groundwater can be found beneath most parts of Northern Ireland and forms an integral part of the water cycle within a catchment. It is contained within geological deposits beneath the ground with the water stored in pore spaces between mineral grains and/or within fractures and cracks in the rock itself. Groundwater represents an important natural resource that supports flows and ecological diversity in rivers, lakes and wetlands as well as being available for use for water supply by abstraction from boreholes, wells and springs. |
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The natural chemistry of groundwater is influenced by a variety of factors such as the type of rocks it flows through or the proximity of coastal saline waters. Generally groundwater in its natural state is of good quality as the soils and rocks it moves through act as filters. However, groundwater quality can be affected by a wide variety of land use activities such as over-application of nitrates and pesticides, leakages from hydrocarbon storage tanks, contaminated land drainage or poorly sited or constructed septic tanks. Pollutants can be either chemical or microbiological and deterioration of groundwater quality can subsequently impact those rivers, lakes or wetlands the groundwater discharges to.
Groundwater quality is routinely sampled and tested from a network of approximately 90 boreholes and springs across Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland groundwater monitoring strategy Sept 2000(.PDF 723Kb)
. Data collected is used to report against compliance with European legislation such as the Nitrates (91/676/EEC) and Groundwater (80/68/EEC) Directives.
The Regional Groundwater Monitoring Network (Northern Ireland) annual review reports are listed below:
Review of 2003 Monitoring Data(.PDF 635Kb)
Review of 2004 Monitoring Data(.PDF 673Kb)
Review of 2005 Monitoring Data(.PDF 734Kb)
Review of 2006 Monitoring Data(.PDF 3.89Mb)
The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) contains particular monitoring requirements for groundwater and the existing network will be modified and developed to ensure compliance with these requirements.
Managing the Water Environment in Northern Ireland 2000(.PDF 2.38Mb) includes further information about groundwater monitoring.
Guidance notes on matters relating to groundwater management and protection:
Mineral Workings Advice Note(.PDF 313Kb)
002 Ground Source (Borehole) Geothermal Heating / Cooling Systems(.PDF 449Kb)
Guidance is also available from the Publications section of the Environment Agency's website. Use the product code: SCHO0404BGLA-E-E to find the document entitled 'Assessing the groundwater pollution potential of cemeteries (3rd Ed)'.
