Exact knowledge of the current groundwater states and groundwater reserves is essential for Berlin, since the regions drinking water comes almost entirely from the regions groundwater (approximately 225 million m3 in the year 2000). Of the nine waterworks supplying Berlin, Stolpe is the only one outside the city boundaries withdrawing water from the Brandenburg region. High water withdrawals are also needed for large building projects and heating systems etc. Certain areas in Berlin have high levels of soil and groundwater contamination, but with exact knowledge of the problems and treatment procedures, the groundwater is purified to produce drinking water of the highest quality.
