Events & Courses

Though groundwater may be out of sight, it is not necessarily out of mind and is vital to sustaining life on Earth. It is the world’s most extracted raw material, about 60% is used for agriculture and provides 25% to 40% of the world’s drinking water. In SE England up to 70% of the total public supply is derived from groundwater in the Chalk aquifer. Groundwater also provides much of the base flow to rivers, and sources recreational lakes and livestock water supplies. 

However, groundwater is not always easily protected and is vulnerable to contamination from many years of industrialisation. Globally we have witnessed human health and environmental impacts due to groundwater contamination.

Furthermore over the recent years we have seen changes in our climate patterns with more intense storms resulting in devastating impacts from groundwater flooding. Groundwater also interferes with the engineering construction of underground infrastructure. A series of examples from the US and UK will be referred to during this talk.

Time

6.30pm              

Speaker

Natalyn Ala (Geological Society Council Member and Atkins Ltd)

Further information

Contact the event convener on the right