The Northern Ireland Environmental Agency and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs have published updated figures on groundwater body status today.
This statistical review covers monitoring data collected between 2020 and 2025 inclusive.
Seventy-five distinct groundwater bodies were assessed against the Classification, Priority Substances and Shellfish Waters Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.
In total, forty-eight bodies reached good overall status in 2026, representing a drop from fifty-one that achieved this benchmark in 2021.
The downward trend reflects a decrease in the proportion of bodies meeting both chemical and physical criteria simultaneously.
Sixty-four per cent of groundwater bodies now show good overall status, down from sixty-eight per cent five years ago.
Quantitative status remained unchanged at ninety-five per cent, with seventy-one bodies achieving good levels for quantity and quality combined.
However, forty-nine bodies achieved good qualitative or chemical status in 2026, falling short of the fifty-three recorded last year.
The assessment framework considers both quantitative parameters and chemical composition when determining overall groundwater health.
These findings are part of a broader series of water statistics released under the Water Framework Directive.
Media inquiries regarding these figures should be directed to the DAERA Press Office via email or telephone.
The Executive Information Service provides out-of-hours support for press enquiries between six pm and eight am daily, including weekends and public holidays.
Contact details for the duty press officer are available through the official channels listed in the release.