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Scotland’s aquifers and groundwater bodies

Almost all groundwater starts life as rainfall. Some rain is taken up by plants, some runs over the land surface or through soils to rivers, and some soaks down through the soil into aquifers. Below the water table, all the spaces in the soil or rock are completely filled with water — groundwater (Figure 1). In Scotland, groundwater occurs almost everywhere beneath our feet, and the water table is usually within 10 m of the ground surface. As a store of water that can provide a reliable source of water for drinking and other purposes, groundwater is often accessible close to where it is required, and is cheaper to treat than surface water in lochs and/or reservoirs. In rural areas in particular, groundwater is a vital water source, and it plays an important role in Scotland’s economy. (Read the full article...)