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| Groundwater Basics
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Our use of Groundwater
 Groundwater
is used in many ways, across all parts of the country. In the
South East of England the majority of public water supply is
pumped from aquifers. In other areas of the UK groundwater also
provides substantial proportions of water supply, even in the
wettest parts of the country. Groundwater is readily availabile
and generally reliable and of good quality, making it the best
option for supplying smaller communities. Groundwater is particularly
important in East Anglia, where it is used for irrigation during
dry summers, improving crop yields. Groundwater is used by industry
almost everywhere in the UK, especially in large conurbations
such as London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. Some industries,
such as brewing, need groundwater with particular chemical characteristics
- for instance the water in Burton upon Trent is particularly
suited for brewing beer.
Our major aquifers are the Chalk, Jurassic Limestones and Permo-Triassic
sandstones, with substantial supplies available from other formations,
such as river gravels and Carboniferous Limestone. Over recent
years many groundwaters have been bottled for sale as mineral
waters. Often these waters come from minor aquifers in upland
areas where distinctive geology imparts interesting flavours.
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