The chalk stores it. We pump it. We use it.

From the River Adur in the west, the River Ouse to the east, and up to the edge of the Downs, the land is shaped by a tremendous block of chalk. This chalk holds water like a sponge in an aquifer. This is the water that makes the journey to your home, ready at the turn of a tap to quench a thirst, cook a meal, wash a muddy kit or fill a paddling pool. It’s a vital natural resource.

But like so many others, this natural resource is under threat. Pollution is a problem, not just here, but for aquifers, rivers, lakes and oceans the world over. A growing population increases the pressure on our shared water. TAP is bringing people together to protect our aquifer.

In the towns we’re making rainscapes to catch pollution and hold back floodwaters. We’re showing where that drain leads so we can make sure we keep waste out of the system – no dumping please!

We can’t protect what we do not know, so we also champion the aquifer, promoting knowledge and understanding whenever and wherever we can.