Guide to 'Groundwater quality' section

Groundwater quality comes under particular pressure as a result of emissions of nitrate and phosphate, heavy metals and pesticides. The deterioration of groundwater quality constitutes a threat to the use of groundwater as a source of drinking water and can impact on ecosystems.

Index Groundwater quality

• Groundwater quality: introduction
• Groundwater quality: policy
• Nitrate in the uppermost groundwater under agricultural holdings in the Netherlands, 1992-2002
• Metals and arsenic in shallow groundwater in the Netherlands, 1990-2003
• Macroparameters in shallow groundwater in the Netherlands, 1985-2003
• Nitrate in shallow groundwater under agricultural land in sandy areas of the Netherlands, 1984-2003
• Nitrate in shallow groundwater in the Netherlands, 2001
• Groundwater quality under forests in the Netherlands, 1990 and 2000
• Pesticides in drinking water in the Netherlands, 1993-2001
• Intake shutdowns by water supply companies in the Netherlands, 1983-2002

Note on Index

This section contains data about groundwater quality at various depths. The longer ago contamination has taken place, the greater the adverse effect on the groundwater will be now.

• Recent pollution on the ground level affects the quality of the uppermost groundwater (the top metre).
• Contamination from approximately ten years ago will be manifest in the shallow groundwater (at a depth of 5-15 metres).
• The medium-deep groundwater (15-30 metres depth) is now suffering the effects of contamination introduced a few decades ago.
• Groundwater from shallow groundwater and medium-deep groundwater (ca. 10-300 metres depth) for use as raw material for drinking water purposes suffers from the effects of contamination during several recent decades.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

• Index Water resources
• Index Emissions to air, water and soil
• Index Environmental pressure by theme. Emissions of nitrate and phosphate (Index Eutrophication theme), heavy metals and pesticides (Index Toxic and hazardous substances theme) in particular affect the quality of the groundwater.
• Index Impact on nature
• Index Measures for soil and water