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IAH’s Urban Groundwater network (UGN)

For and by hydrogeologists active in urban groundwater world-wide

 

The urban groundwater environment is characterized by its highly dynamic, multi-faceted and interactive nature, with heavy pressures on its quality and quantitative use. In addition to urban groundwater being a major source of urban water supply worldwide, its quality is threatened by historic and present sources of contamination. In addition, groundwater abstractions required for construction dewatering impact the resource, as well as the urban water demands for creating green liveable cities. Further adding to the dynamic nature of urban groundwater is its large potential in providing sustainable heating and cooling for urban environments. Therefore, IAH’s Urban Groundwater Network (UGN) aims to:

  • Support the development of science, understanding and management of urban groundwater
  • Foster knowledge-exchange between network members and other professionals

UGN focusses on all urban groundwater aspects that are encountered by practitioners as illustrated by this non-exhaustive list of topics :

  1. Sustainable management of urban groundwater resources around the globe
    1. Production: From groundwater to drinking water
    2. Resource assessment/system analysis
    3. Urban Groundwater Protection
    4. (Soil) and Groundwater Contamination and Remediation
  2. Groundwater interactions with the built environment
    1. Dewatering in urban construction
    2. Groundwater interactions with urban structures (e.g. subsidence, foundations, infrastructure)
  3. Urban groundwater as source and storage for sustainable heating and cooling
    1. Groundwater source heat pump systems
    2. Ground source heat pump systems
    3. Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) systems
  4. Urban Groundwater Interactions and Integration
    1. Interactions of the different urban groundwater functions
    2. Integrated groundwater resource management

There are many ongoing activities happening in the network, including workshops, conference sessions and network meetings.

We hope our new website will highlight the network’s activities and encourage others to get involved.

Find out more

IAH is an international charitable organisation that promotes sound development and management of groundwater – seen by many as the worldwide family of hydrogeologists.

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