​​​​Groundwater is important as a source of drinking water, and it supports river flows, lake levels and ecosystems. It contains natural substances dissolved from the soils and rocks that it flows through, and can also be contaminated by human actions on the land surface.

As a clean, but vulnerable, resource, groundwater needs to be understood, managed and protected. We provide advice and maps to members of the public, consultancies and public bodies about groundwater quality, quantity and distribution.