Groundwater vulnerability (the concept of groundwater vulnerability)

Water resources are vitally important for the future of humankind. COST Action 620 focuses on the protection of groundwater within karst aquifers to assure its quality for potable use and in supporting varied ecological habitats. Groundwater from karst aquifers is among the most important drinking water resource in Europe: carbonate terrains occupy 35 % of the land-surface and a significant portion of the drinking water is abstracted from karst aquifers. In some European countries, karst water contributes 50 % to the total drinking water supply and in many regions it is the only available source of fresh water (COST 65, 1995