Balancing qualitative and quantitative issues of the groundwater extraction at the drinking water production site of Velm (Central Belgium)
Recent findings allow a better insight into the interaction between two aquifers and their vulnerabilities at the groundwater extraction site of Velm, which produces drinking water for around 55,000 households. The shallow aquifer that is exploited is situated in the Formation of Hannut. This aquifer is vulnerable to pollution, especially from the agricultural lands close to the extraction site and is sensitive to natural recharge. In this case, the groundwater is captured in a basin via a naturally occurring spring flow.