The Friends of Groundwater is an open group of groundwater specialists within the World Water Quality Alliance who collaborate on projects in support of a global water quality assessment.

Groundwater is a critical source of drinking water, irrigation, and ecosystem support—yet its quality is often threatened by both human-induced and naturally occurring contaminants. Assessing global groundwater quality presents unique challenges, including a wide range of potentially harmful substances, limited data availability in many regions, and the complex, often invisible nature of groundwater systems.

The Friends of Groundwater fosters collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation across disciplines. We welcome all who are passionate about safeguarding groundwater to join our efforts and contribute to this essential aspect of water quality management.

Highlights

Assessing Groundwater quality: a global perspective

Guidelines for the assessment of Groundwater quality

Workstream publications

16843804 ws-groundwater 1 apa 50 default year 1 title 1366 https://wwqa.info/wp-content/plugins/zotpress/
%7B%22status%22%3A%22success%22%2C%22updateneeded%22%3Afalse%2C%22instance%22%3Afalse%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22request_last%22%3A0%2C%22request_next%22%3A0%2C%22used_cache%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22data%22%3A%5B%7B%22key%22%3A%22FVT3MBJ2%22%2C%22library%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A16843804%7D%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22creatorSummary%22%3A%22WWQA%22%2C%22parsedDate%22%3A%222024-05-17%22%2C%22numChildren%22%3A0%7D%2C%22bib%22%3A%22%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-bib-body%26quot%3B%20style%3D%26quot%3Bline-height%3A%202%3B%20padding-left%3A%201em%3B%20text-indent%3A-1em%3B%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%5Cn%20%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-entry%26quot%3B%26gt%3BWWQA.%20%282024%2C%20May%2017%29.%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3B%26lt%3Ba%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-ItemURL%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.youtube.com%5C%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKmhBM6t8Fx4%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BIntroduction%20to%20the%20groundwater%20quality%20guidelines%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%26lt%3B%5C%2Fi%26gt%3B%20%5BVideo%20recording%5D.%20%20%26lt%3Ba%20title%3D%26%23039%3BCite%20in%20RIS%20Format%26%23039%3B%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-CiteRIS%26%23039%3B%20data-zp-cite%3D%26%23039%3Bapi_user_id%3D16843804%26amp%3Bitem_key%3DFVT3MBJ2%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bjavascript%3Avoid%280%29%3B%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BCite%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%20%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%5Cn%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%22%2C%22data%22%3A%7B%22itemType%22%3A%22videoRecording%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Introduction%20to%20the%20groundwater%20quality%20guidelines%22%2C%22creators%22%3A%5B%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22director%22%2C%22name%22%3A%22WWQA%22%7D%5D%2C%22abstractNote%22%3A%22%22%2C%22videoRecordingFormat%22%3A%22%22%2C%22studio%22%3A%22%22%2C%22date%22%3A%222024-05-17%22%2C%22runningTime%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ISBN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22DOI%22%3A%22%22%2C%22citationKey%22%3A%22%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.youtube.com%5C%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKmhBM6t8Fx4%22%2C%22language%22%3A%22%22%2C%22collections%22%3A%5B%22W7IIHFZ8%22%5D%2C%22dateModified%22%3A%222026-03-27T15%3A00%3A18Z%22%7D%7D%2C%7B%22key%22%3A%222GJN9XRI%22%2C%22library%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A16843804%7D%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22creatorSummary%22%3A%22WWQA%20FoG%20Workstream%22%2C%22parsedDate%22%3A%222024-01-04%22%2C%22numChildren%22%3A1%7D%2C%22bib%22%3A%22%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-bib-body%26quot%3B%20style%3D%26quot%3Bline-height%3A%202%3B%20padding-left%3A%201em%3B%20text-indent%3A-1em%3B%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%5Cn%20%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-entry%26quot%3B%26gt%3BWWQA%20FoG%20Workstream.%20%282024%29.%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3B%26lt%3Ba%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-ItemURL%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwwqa.info%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2F2024%5C%2F05%5C%2FGWQ_guidelines_2024.pdf%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BGuidelines%20for%20the%20assessment%20of%20groundwater%20quality%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%26lt%3B%5C%2Fi%26gt%3B.%20WWQA.%20%20%26lt%3Ba%20title%3D%26%23039%3BCite%20in%20RIS%20Format%26%23039%3B%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-CiteRIS%26%23039%3B%20data-zp-cite%3D%26%23039%3Bapi_user_id%3D16843804%26amp%3Bitem_key%3D2GJN9XRI%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bjavascript%3Avoid%280%29%3B%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BCite%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%20%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%5Cn%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%22%2C%22data%22%3A%7B%22itemType%22%3A%22standard%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Guidelines%20for%20the%20assessment%20of%20groundwater%20quality%22%2C%22creators%22%3A%5B%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22name%22%3A%22WWQA%20FoG%20Workstream%22%7D%5D%2C%22abstractNote%22%3A%22%22%2C%22organization%22%3A%22WWQA%22%2C%22committee%22%3A%22%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22%22%2C%22number%22%3A%22%22%2C%22versionNumber%22%3A%22%22%2C%22status%22%3A%22%22%2C%22date%22%3A%2201-04-2024%22%2C%22partNumber%22%3A%22%22%2C%22partTitle%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ISBN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22DOI%22%3A%22%22%2C%22citationKey%22%3A%22%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwwqa.info%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2F2024%5C%2F05%5C%2FGWQ_guidelines_2024.pdf%22%2C%22language%22%3A%22English%22%2C%22collections%22%3A%5B%22W7IIHFZ8%22%5D%2C%22dateModified%22%3A%222026-03-27T14%3A59%3A51Z%22%7D%7D%2C%7B%22key%22%3A%22XNSWDD7V%22%2C%22library%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A16843804%7D%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22creatorSummary%22%3A%22WWQA%20FoG%20Workstream%22%2C%22parsedDate%22%3A%222021-06-01%22%2C%22numChildren%22%3A0%7D%2C%22bib%22%3A%22%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-bib-body%26quot%3B%20style%3D%26quot%3Bline-height%3A%202%3B%20padding-left%3A%201em%3B%20text-indent%3A-1em%3B%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%5Cn%20%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-entry%26quot%3B%26gt%3BWWQA%20FoG%20Workstream.%20%282021%29.%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3B%26lt%3Ba%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-ItemURL%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwwqa.info%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2F2025%5C%2F06%5C%2FAssessing-Groundwater-Quality_A-Global-Perspective-1.pdf%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BAssessing%20Groundwater%20Quality%3A%20A%20Global%20Perspective%3A%20Importance%2C%20Methods%20and%20Potential%20Data%20Sources%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%26lt%3B%5C%2Fi%26gt%3B.%20%20%26lt%3Ba%20title%3D%26%23039%3BCite%20in%20RIS%20Format%26%23039%3B%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-CiteRIS%26%23039%3B%20data-zp-cite%3D%26%23039%3Bapi_user_id%3D16843804%26amp%3Bitem_key%3DXNSWDD7V%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bjavascript%3Avoid%280%29%3B%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BCite%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%20%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%5Cn%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%22%2C%22data%22%3A%7B%22itemType%22%3A%22report%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Assessing%20Groundwater%20Quality%3A%20A%20Global%20Perspective%3A%20Importance%2C%20Methods%20and%20Potential%20Data%20Sources%22%2C%22creators%22%3A%5B%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22name%22%3A%22WWQA%20FoG%20Workstream%22%7D%5D%2C%22abstractNote%22%3A%22Information%20Document%20Annex%20for%20display%20at%20the%205th%20Session%20of%20the%20United%20Nations%20Environment%20Assembly.%22%2C%22reportNumber%22%3A%22%22%2C%22reportType%22%3A%22%22%2C%22institution%22%3A%22%22%2C%22date%22%3A%222021-06-01%22%2C%22DOI%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ISBN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22citationKey%22%3A%22%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwwqa.info%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2F2025%5C%2F06%5C%2FAssessing-Groundwater-Quality_A-Global-Perspective-1.pdf%22%2C%22ISSN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22language%22%3A%22%22%2C%22collections%22%3A%5B%224BMVX7ZS%22%5D%2C%22dateModified%22%3A%222026-03-27T14%3A58%3A34Z%22%7D%7D%2C%7B%22key%22%3A%22SP4S3SVM%22%2C%22library%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A16843804%7D%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22creatorSummary%22%3A%22Misstear%20et%20al.%22%2C%22parsedDate%22%3A%222022-03-16%22%2C%22numChildren%22%3A0%7D%2C%22bib%22%3A%22%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-bib-body%26quot%3B%20style%3D%26quot%3Bline-height%3A%202%3B%20padding-left%3A%201em%3B%20text-indent%3A-1em%3B%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%5Cn%20%20%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-entry%26quot%3B%26gt%3BMisstear%2C%20B.%2C%20Vargas%2C%20C.%20R.%2C%20Lapworth%2C%20D.%2C%20Ouedraogo%2C%20I.%2C%20%26amp%3B%20Podgorski%2C%20J.%20%282022%29.%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3BA%20global%20perspective%20on%20assessing%20groundwater%20quality%26lt%3B%5C%2Fi%26gt%3B.%20%26lt%3Ba%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-DOIURL%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fdoi.org%5C%2Fhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fdoi.org%5C%2F10.1007%5C%2Fs10040-022-02461-0%26%23039%3B%26gt%3Bhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fdoi.org%5C%2Fhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fdoi.org%5C%2F10.1007%5C%2Fs10040-022-02461-0%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%20%26lt%3Ba%20title%3D%26%23039%3BCite%20in%20RIS%20Format%26%23039%3B%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-CiteRIS%26%23039%3B%20data-zp-cite%3D%26%23039%3Bapi_user_id%3D16843804%26amp%3Bitem_key%3DSP4S3SVM%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bjavascript%3Avoid%280%29%3B%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BCite%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%20%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%5Cn%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%22%2C%22data%22%3A%7B%22itemType%22%3A%22journalArticle%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22A%20global%20perspective%20on%20assessing%20groundwater%20quality%22%2C%22creators%22%3A%5B%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22firstName%22%3A%22Bruce%22%2C%22lastName%22%3A%22Misstear%22%7D%2C%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22firstName%22%3A%22Claudia%20Ruz%22%2C%22lastName%22%3A%22Vargas%22%7D%2C%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22firstName%22%3A%22Dan%22%2C%22lastName%22%3A%22Lapworth%22%7D%2C%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22firstName%22%3A%22Issoufou%22%2C%22lastName%22%3A%22Ouedraogo%22%7D%2C%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22firstName%22%3A%22Joel%22%2C%22lastName%22%3A%22Podgorski%22%7D%5D%2C%22abstractNote%22%3A%22An%20assessment%20of%20global%20groundwater%20quality%20is%20needed%20in%20response%20to%20the%20threats%20posed%20by%20anthropogenic%20and%20geogenic%20contaminants.%20This%20essay%20summarises%20the%20challenges%20involved%2C%20including%20a%20large%20number%20of%20potentially%20relevant%20water%20quality%20parameters%2C%20the%20poor%20availability%20of%20data%20in%20many%20regions%20and%20the%20complex%20nature%20of%20groundwater%20systems.%20Direct%20monitoring%20data%20can%20sometimes%20be%20augmented%20by%20indirect%20methods%20such%20as%20earth%20observations%2C%20and%20by%20involving%20citizen%20science.%20A%20new%20web%20portal%20is%20being%20developed%20to%20complement%20existing%20databases.%22%2C%22date%22%3A%222022-03-16%22%2C%22section%22%3A%22%22%2C%22partNumber%22%3A%22%22%2C%22partTitle%22%3A%22%22%2C%22DOI%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fdoi.org%5C%2F10.1007%5C%2Fs10040-022-02461-0%22%2C%22citationKey%22%3A%22%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22%22%2C%22PMID%22%3A%22%22%2C%22PMCID%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ISSN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22language%22%3A%22%22%2C%22collections%22%3A%5B%224BMVX7ZS%22%5D%2C%22dateModified%22%3A%222026-03-27T14%3A02%3A45Z%22%7D%7D%5D%7D
WWQA. (2024, May 17). Introduction to the groundwater quality guidelines [Video recording]. Cite
WWQA FoG Workstream. (2024). Guidelines for the assessment of groundwater quality. WWQA. Cite
WWQA FoG Workstream. (2021). Assessing Groundwater Quality: A Global Perspective: Importance, Methods and Potential Data Sources. Cite
Misstear, B., Vargas, C. R., Lapworth, D., Ouedraogo, I., & Podgorski, J. (2022). A global perspective on assessing groundwater quality. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-022-02461-0 Cite

Workstream events

No event scheduled

Questions about the workstream or you would like to be a member of the workstream, let us know by clicking on the button.

Collaborating partners