Aquifer
Veolia Water is licensed by the Environment Agency to abstract over 30 million litres of water per day from the Ver aquifer by pumping from deep underground using several pumping stations along the length of the Valley. Following the Buncefield Oil Depot disaster in December 2005 some pollution of the water table meant the Bow Bridge Pumping Station was not used for nearly three years. Friars Wash has been on stand-by status since 1992 (as a result of pressure by VVS) but was used in the summer of 2006 in the drought.
Bow Bridge remained out of use from 2006 to August 2009 due to fears of contamination from the Buncefield fire fighting chemicals following the incident. This certainly helped maintain the flow in the Ver in the next few summers. The aquifer was at or above average for much of 2008 and into 2009 but fell below average later in 2009. Following prolonged dry weather the aquifer has continued to fall so that by the end of 2011 it is over 4 meters below the mean
As a general measure of the aquifer situation VVS uses groundwater figures measured by Environment Agency at Ballingdon Farm in the upper part of the valley. Recent figures in meters are given below.
Contains Environment Agency information © Environment Agency and database right
Aquifer Levels 2011
| Month 2011 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
| |
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| January |
128.00 |
130.56 |
-2.56 |
| February |
128.86 |
131.36 |
-2.50 |
| March |
129.82 |
132.79 |
-2.97 |
| April |
130.84 |
133.60 |
-2.76 |
| May |
131.01 |
134.10 |
-3.09 |
| June |
130.45 |
133.32 |
-2.87 |
| July |
129.36 |
133.23 |
-3.87 |
| August |
128.27 |
132.56 |
-4.29 |
| September |
127.71 |
130.87 |
-3.16 |
| October |
127.23 |
130.93 |
-3.70 |
| November |
126.71 |
130.91 |
-4.20 |
| December |
125.26 |
130.56 |
-5.30 |
| |
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2010
| Month 2010 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
|
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| January |
128.49 |
130.92 |
-2.43 |
| February |
129.04 |
131.60 |
-2.56 |
| March |
131.94 |
132.38 |
-0.44 |
| April |
135.52 |
133.60 |
1.92 |
| May |
135.70 |
134.10 |
1.60 |
| June |
134.97 |
133.32 |
1.65 |
| July |
131.99 |
133.25 |
-1.26 |
| August |
132.51 |
132.56 |
-0.05 |
| September |
131.59 |
130.87 |
0.72 |
| October |
130.49 |
130.93 |
-0.44 |
| November |
129.45 |
130.9 |
-1.45 |
| December |
128.68 |
130.45 |
-1.77 |
|
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2009
| Month 2009 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
|
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| January |
133.10 |
131.36 |
1.74 |
| February |
134.62 |
132.38 |
2.24 |
| March |
136.57 |
132.79 |
3.78 |
| April |
136.64 |
133.60 |
3.04 |
| May |
135.85 |
134.10 |
1.75 |
| June |
134.61 |
133.30 |
1.31 |
| July |
131.57 |
133.22 |
-1.65 |
| August |
132.30 |
132.56 |
-0.26 |
| September |
131.24 |
130.87 |
0.37 |
| October |
130.09 |
130.93 |
-0.84 |
| November |
128.80 |
130.91 |
-2.11 |
| December |
128.24 |
130.50 |
-2.26 |
|
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2008
| Month 2008 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
|
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| January |
131.26 |
131.36 |
-0.10 |
| February |
134.22 |
132.38 |
1.84 |
| March |
134.90 |
132.79 |
2.11 |
| April |
135.53 |
133.60 |
1.93 |
| May |
134.84 |
134.10 |
0.74 |
| June |
134.52 |
133.32 |
1.20 |
| July |
133.88 |
133.23 |
0.65 |
| August |
133.07 |
132.56 |
0.51 |
| September |
132.29 |
130.87 |
1.42 |
| October |
131.60 |
130.91 |
0.69 |
| November |
131.40 |
130.90 |
0.50 |
| December |
131.62 |
130.56 |
1.06 |
|
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2007
| Month 2007 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
|
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| January |
128.94 |
131.36 |
-2.42 |
| February |
132.60 |
132.38 |
0.22 |
| March |
135.67 |
132.79 |
2.88 |
| April |
136.26 |
133.60 |
2.66 |
| May |
135.60 |
134.10 |
1.50 |
| June |
134.79 |
133.32 |
1.47 |
| July |
133.78 |
133.23 |
0.55 |
| August |
132.83 |
132.56 |
0.27 |
| September |
131.82 |
130.83 |
0.99 |
| October |
131.40 |
130.87 |
0.53 |
| November |
130.90 |
130.91 |
-0.01 |
| December |
130.66 |
130.56 |
0.10 |
|
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2006
| Month 2006 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
| |
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| |
|
|
|
| January |
126.09 |
131.36 |
-5.27 |
| February |
126.03 |
132.38 |
-6.35 |
| March |
126.63 |
132.79 |
-6.16 |
| April |
126.63 |
133.60 |
-6.97 |
| May |
126.70 |
134.10 |
-7.40 |
| June |
126.71 |
133.32 |
-6.61 |
| July |
126.77 |
133.23 |
-6.46 |
| August |
126.45 |
132.56 |
-6.11 |
| September |
125.81 |
130.87 |
-5.06 |
| October |
125.49 |
130.93 |
-5.44 |
| November |
125.34 |
130.91 |
-5.57 |
| December |
126.47 |
130.56 |
-4.09 |
| |
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2005
| Month 2005 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
| |
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| |
|
|
|
| December |
126.15 |
130.56 |
-4.41 |
| November |
126.15 |
130.91 |
-4.76 |
| October |
126.17 |
130.93 |
-4.76 |
| September |
126.17 |
130.87 |
-4.70 |
| August |
126.68 |
132.56 |
-5.88 |
| July |
127.24 |
133.23 |
-5.99 |
| June |
127.93 |
133.32 |
-5.39 |
| May |
127.76 |
134.10 |
-6.34 |
| April |
127.27 |
133.60 |
-6.33 |
| March |
127.77 |
132.79 |
-5.02 |
| February |
127.25 |
132.38 |
-5.13 |
| January |
128.15 |
131.36 |
-3.21 |
| |
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2004
| Month 2004 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
| |
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| |
|
|
|
| January |
128.30 |
131.36 |
-3.06 |
| February |
129.50 |
132.38 |
-2.88 |
| March |
131.42 |
132.79 |
-1.37 |
| April |
131.30 |
133.60 |
-2.30 |
| May |
131.09 |
134.10 |
-3.01 |
| June |
131.09 |
133.32 |
-2.23 |
| July |
130.85 |
133.23 |
-2.38 |
| August |
130.04 |
132.56 |
-2.52 |
| September |
127.97 |
130.87 |
-2.90 |
| October |
127.58 |
130.93 |
-3.35 |
| November |
127.43 |
130.91 |
-3.48 |
| December |
127.25 |
130.56 |
-3.31 |
| |
|
|
|
