Groundwater quality into the future: workshop summary

This report details the findings of a workshop held by the British Geological Survey and the Environment Agency on “Groundwater Quality into the Future” in February 2022. The workshop was attended by over 60 delegates, and was a part of a short scoping study aimed at improving understanding of the impacts of climate and land use change on groundwater quality. Four cross-cutting themes emerged from the workshop: 1. The high level of uncertainty associated with potential impacts of climate and land use change on groundwater quality over the next century 2. The need for holistic, systems approaches to the science and management of groundwater quality and resources in the terrestrial water cycle 3. Further education related to groundwater amongst the general public 4. The need for continued monitoring to characterise the impacts of environmental change on groundwater quality A number of focus areas were also identified by the workshop delegates: nutrients, emerging substances, changing rainfall characteristics, changing temperature, groundwater rebound, urban development and construction, changing salinity and groundwater ecosystems. The cross-cutting themes and focus areas identified in the workshop will be used to feed in to future work to improve our scientific understanding and management of the impacts of climate and land use change on groundwater quality.