Groundwater Quality

Water quality can vary spatially within a single aquifer, and can also differ greatly among aquifers encountered at different depths at the same site. The chemical composition of groundwater can impose limitations on specific water uses in particular areas; therefore, knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of water-quality constituents throughout Maryland’s aquifers is a critical component of prudent groundwater management. Assessment of groundwater quality will provide water users, managers, and other stakeholders with the information necessary to help guide water-use decisions.

The chemical constituents or properties listed below are a few of the more common ones that can affect the quality of groundwater.