{"id":55,"date":"2023-11-15T15:14:54","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T15:14:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/?page_id=55"},"modified":"2026-05-05T12:13:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T11:13:11","slug":"quality","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/","title":{"rendered":"Quality"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<section class=\"hero-section hero-section-with-social\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>Groundwater quality<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"social-wrap social-wrap-inline-them\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sea-background-f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Share this article<\/span><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/\"><span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span class=\"hidden\">Facebook<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Quality&#038;url=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/\"><span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span class=\"hidden\">Twitter<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   onclick=\"javascript:void( (function() {var e=document.createElement('script' );e.setAttribute('type','text\/javascript' );e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8' );e.setAttribute('src','\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());\"  href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"icon-pinterest\"><span class=\"hidden\">Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/wa.me?text=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/\"><span class=\"icon-whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden\">WhatsApp<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   href=\"mailto:?subject=Quality&#038;body=The%20quality%20of%20groundwater%20determines%20its%20value%20as%20a%20resource%20and%20its%20impact%20on%20surface%20water%20ecosystems.%20%20(https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/)\"><span class=\"icon-mail\"><span class=\"hidden\">Email<\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"#\" data-copy=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/\" class=\"copy-url-on-click\"><span class=\"icon-link\"><span class=\"hidden\">Copy Link<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/07\/P938547-banner-1.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur hero-img\" alt=\"A white woman in a red and black coat is standing next to a spring writing in a notebook. A coiled tube leads from the stream to some water sampling equipment.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/07\/P938547-banner-1.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p>The quality of groundwater determines its value as a resource and how it affects surface-water ecosystems. BGS researches all aspects of groundwater quality, from assessing natural chemical variations and their controls and effects to the effects of pollution from agriculture, industry and urban sources. The scope of our pollution research ranges from long-established and legacy contaminants (for example, nitrates; trace metals; microorganisms) to new and emerging contaminants (like pharmaceutical compounds).<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/07\/P922954.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Collecting a water chemistry sample from a piezometer on Wybunbury Moss in Cheshire, England. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_50319\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/07\/P922954.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"A white man wearing dark green clothes crouches next to a fence-off area in a field. There are tubes, bags, buckets and scientific equipment around him. He is looking at a hand-held instrument.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/07\/P922954.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Collecting a water chemistry sample from a piezometer on Wybunbury Moss in Cheshire, England. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/07\/P922954.jpg\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>We collaborate with government departments, academia, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and industry to contribute to process understanding in groundwater quality and support efforts to protect and regulate groundwater resources, both in the UK and overseas.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\t\t<section id=\"in-this-section-5651-block_a6bcbe48487ef5a4927e1897df82f1e1\" class=\"grid-section  sea-background-e   \" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row header-of-section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Our water quality research<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row grid-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/baseline-chemistry-uk-aquifers\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/01\/Baseline_photo3-150x150.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Measuring wellhead chemistry. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/01\/Baseline_photo3-300x202.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/baseline-chemistry-uk-aquifers\/\">Baseline chemistry of groundwater in UK aquifers<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Characterising the baseline groundwater chemistry for aquifers in Great Britain.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/baseline-chemistry-uk-aquifers\/\">More Information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/P602491-thumb.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"a yellow tractor pulls a tank behind it with crop spraying apparatus attached. It is moving across a green field.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/P602491-thumb.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/\">Diffuse pollution<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Investigating pollution that comes from widespread activities in current and past environments.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/\">More Information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/environmental-tracers-and-groundwater-dating\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/P641030.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"A man in a white hat and dark green top is kneeling by a large water pump, taking measurement, There are snowy mountains in the background.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/P641030.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/environmental-tracers-and-groundwater-dating\/\">Environmental tracers and groundwater dating<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Dating groundwater by using various chemicals, including CFCs and tritium.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/environmental-tracers-and-groundwater-dating\/\">More Information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/groundwater-and-health\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/P556419-thumb.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"P556419-thumb\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/P556419-thumb.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/groundwater-and-health\/\">Groundwater and health<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Researching groundwater quality in relation to human health.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/groundwater-and-health\/\">More Information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/ecology\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/11\/niphargus-aquilex-thumb.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"niphargus-aquilex-thumb\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/11\/niphargus-aquilex-thumb.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/ecology\/\">Groundwater ecology and biodiversity<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Understanding the life forms that live in groundwater.\n<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/ecology\/\">More Information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/point-source-pollution\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/P734755-thumb.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"A landfill site with a tractor and lots and lots of gulls\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/P734755-thumb.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/point-source-pollution\/\">Point-source pollution of groundwater<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Research into pollution discharged from a discrete location.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/point-source-pollution\/\">More Information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/methane-in-uk-groundwater-research-overview\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/sampling_dissolved_gases-feature.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"sampling_dissolved_gases-feature\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/sampling_dissolved_gases-feature.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/methane-in-uk-groundwater-research-overview\/\">Methane in UK groundwater<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Methane (CH4) is an important greenhouse gas and a common trace component of groundwater. BGS has been studying CH4 in UK groundwaters since the 1980s.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/methane-in-uk-groundwater-research-overview\/\">More Information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/groundwater-protection\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/Groundwater_vulnerability_BGSReport_OR11064-feature.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Groundwater_vulnerability_BGSReport_OR11064-feature\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/Groundwater_vulnerability_BGSReport_OR11064-feature.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2>\n\t\t\t\t<a  href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/groundwater-protection\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\tGroundwater protection\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<p><p>Groundwater is vulnerable to contamination from a wide range of human activities including agriculture, urbanisation, waste disposal, past and present industry and from pollution incidents.<\/p>\n<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/groundwater-protection\/\" >More information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\n\n<section class=\"cta-section  sea-background-e \">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row md-row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t<h2>Need more information?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"btn-wrap\"><a href=\"mailto:enquiries@bgs.ac.uk\"  class=\"button primary-background   \">Contact BGS Enquiries<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The quality of groundwater determines its value as a resource and its impact on surface water ecosystems. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3528,"parent":0,"menu_order":13,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"1","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Quality - BGS Groundwater<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Quality - BGS Groundwater\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The quality of groundwater determines its value as a resource and its impact on surface water ecosystems.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BGS Groundwater\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-05T11:13:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/07\/P938547-thumb.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"671\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/\",\"name\":\"Quality - 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