The exact knowledge of the current ground-water levels, and hence also of groundwater stocks, is imperative for the State of Berlin, since 100% of the drinking-water supply (approx. 214 million m3 in 2004) is obtained from groundwater. This groundwater is pumped at nine waterworks, almost entirely from the city’s own area. Only the Stolpe Waterworks on the northern outskirts obtain water from Brandenburg, but also supply Berlin (Fig. 1).
Groundwater Levels of the Main Aquifer and Panke Valley Aquifer 2005

Fig. 1: Location of the nine waterworks supplying Berlin with drinking-water in May 2005
Image: Umweltatlas Berlin

Fig. 2: Phenomenology of Underground Water
Image: from Hölting 1996

Fig. 3: Hydrogeological Terms
Image: Umweltatlas Berlin

Fig. 4: Infiltration: a) Effluent condition (left), b) Influent condition (right)
Image: Umweltatlas Berlin

Fig. 5: Geological Outline Map of Berlin
Image: Umweltatlas Berlin

Fig. 6: Hydrogeological Cross-Section of Berlin
Image: from Limberg, 2003

Fig. 7: The Panke Valley aquifer (aquifer 1) is situated above the main aquifer (aquifer 2) separated by the clay-layer of the ground moraine.
Image: Umweltatlas Berlin