Planning for sustainable groundwater resources: Something's got to give!

John Flett Theatre, Natural History Museum, London 30 March 2006

While the demand for groundwater for public water supply is rising in many areas of the country, the quality of groundwater supplies is on the whole deteriorating. At the same time, regulations provide greater protection for the environment generally requiring a larger allocation of groundwater. On top of this, water quality regulations are becoming stricter and of course there is the threat from a changing climate. In an environment of competing demands, where will the balance lie when planning for sustainable groundwater resources? Do the sums add up or will something have to give? This poses some difficult questions for the water industry and the environment regulators.

This meeting examined options for sustainable water management for the future. Representatives of Government, the Environment Agency, the water industry, and the research community described the resource context, the policy drivers and the problems being faced, while groundwater-related case studies helped examine measures needed to address these problems. The meeting attracted a broad representation from Government, water professionals, water users and the research community.

Seminar Programme

Morning Session: the pressures

Introduction (PDF - 495KB)
Denis Peach, Chair of the UK Groundwater Forum

The status of groundwater resources and the groundwater needs of the environment (PDF - 5,414KB)
John Aldrick, Environment Agency

Benefit valuation of groundwater (PDF - 162KB)
Camille Bann, Environment Agency

Changing population demands: the implications for water supply planning
Kate Stapleton, Sustainable Communities Division, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
(OPDM did not want its presentation to be made available for downloading)

Groundwater-related supply problems being faced by the water industry (PDF - 863KB)
Mike Pocock, Water UK

Increasing Pressures on groundwater resources (PDF - 721KB)
Denis Peach, Groundwater Programme Manager, British Geological Survey

Afternoon Session: the solutions?

Understanding our groundwater systems - gaps in knowledge needed for planning (PDF - 4,002KB)
Howard Wheater, Imperial College, London

Options for sustainable water management (PDF - 1,507KB)
Louise Heathwaite, Centre for Sustainable Water Management, University of Lancaster

Water company case study I (PDF - 472KB)
Dave Harker, Anglian Water

Water company case study II (PDF - 2,431KB)
Meyrick Gough, Southern Water

Water company case study III (PDF - 1,950KB)
Phil Bishop, Thames Water

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