Background concentrations of chemical substances in groundwater in Finland

National scale groundwater monitoring has been coordinated at groundwater stations since 1975. Groundwater stations are primarily placed in small, natural-state groundwater areas all over the country. There are over 60 stations and they represent different kinds of soil and rock areas and different kinds of climatic conditions.

On the basis of the monitoring results, the Finnish Environment Institute has calculated mean values and medians for chemical substances in groundwater. The figures show that the mean value of a chemical substance may vary in the different groundwater areas depending on the geological condi-tions and human impacts.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has issued guidelines for and recommendations on the water used for household consumption (FINLEX ® - Translations of Finnish acts and decrees: 461/2000 (English) 461/2000.  

Background concentration of chemical substances in groundwater in Finland

References

Backman, Birgitta, 2004. Groundwater quality, acidification and recovery trends between 1969 and 2002 in South Finland. Geological Survey of Finland. Bulletin 401, 110 p. ISBN 951-690-895-0

Soveri, Jouko, et al., 2001. Pohjaveden korkeuden ja laadun vaihteluista Suomessa 1975-1999. Suo-men ympäristö, Ympäristönsuojelu. Numero 420. 382 s. ISBN 952-11-0746-4, ISSN 1238-73. Pohjaveden korkeuden ja laadun vaihteluista Suomessa 1975 - 1999. English summary: Changes in groundwater levels and quality in Finland in 1975-1999.