About This Course

This course is designed to allow flexible learning for people who are engaged in the water quality sector and who wish to strengthen their knowledge of water quality monitoring in groundwaters. Groundwater quality monitoring is often focussed on whether the water is suitable for drinking water supplies but other uses, such as irrigation and industry, also have specific quality requirements. Groundwater may be affected by contamination from surface and underground sources of natural and human origin that affect its suitability for drinking and other uses. These sources of contamination may not be close to the point of water abstraction but may have been transported underground. This course presents an overview of the occurrence and behaviour of groundwaters, its vulnerability to contamination, and how to use knowledge of groundwater behaviour in the development of a groundwater quality monitoring programme for specific purposes. Opportunities and constraints associated with designing an effective monitoring and assessment programme are explored.