Overview; water resources of Georgia country

1. Information search – Natalie D’emur
May 2012 year
Water resources in Georgia country
Groundwater
Georgia is one of the world’s richest countries in terms of fresh groundwater potential. In this regard,
the country’s groundwater resources per capita exceed the average world level 2.5 times.
Groundwater resources
Georgian groundwater is diverse in terms of chemical and air properties. These waters are widely used
for drinking and medicinal purposes, as well as a heat resource. According to the mineralization and
temperature parameters groundwater is generally divided into the following groups:
1. Fresh drinking waters (mineralization not exceeding 1.0 g/l)
2. Mineral waters (mineralization over 1.0 g/l)
3. Thermal waters – healing (20-350C), thermo-energetic (40-1080C)
Fresh groundwater
Fresh drinking groundwater is divided into two groups according to mineral content; ultra-fresh waters
– 0.2-0.3 g/l (mainly distributed in South Georgia) and water with a mineral content of 0.3-1.0 g/l which
is found throughout Georgia.
Over one hundred fresh groundwater aquifers have been mapped in Georgia and have an estimated
production capacity of 18 billion cubic meters per year (573 m3/sec). They are distributed quite
unevenly within the hydro- geological regions of the country.
Source – Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of GEORGIA

2. Information search – Natalie D’emur
May 2012 year
Drinking and healing mineral waters
There are over 2,000 groundwater sources (springs and wells) with a total yield of 160,000 cubic meters
per day. These waters are divided into three groups according to their mineral content; 1 to 5 g/l, 5 to
10 g/l, and more than 10 g/l. Total mineral water resources in Georgia is estimated at 50 million cubic
meters per day. Across the country’s territory, there have been 45 fields of mineral waters studied in
detail. The total reserves, registered at the State Reserve Commission, are estimated at 76.2 thousand
cubic meters per day.
Thermal waters
Over 200 single and multiple sources of thermal waters (40-108°C) have been recorded in Georgia with
a total output of approximately 160,000 cubic meters per day. Eight are natural springs and 200 sources
are drilled boreholes.
According to the geothermal research level, the total thermal water resource is estimated to be in the
order of 350-400 million cubic meters per year. The operating reserves (15 fields) of thermal waters,
registered at the State Reserve Commission, are estimated at 126 thousand cubic meters per day,
which equals 20 % of the total forecast resources. According to data, produced in 1980s, the shares of
industrial utilization of operating reserves are distributed in the following way: for mineral waters- 12 %,
thermo-energetic waters- 4 %, for fresh groundwater- 2 %, while in terms of the drinking water
potential, Georgia is one of the richest countries in the world.
Source – Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of GEORGIA

3. Information search – Natalie D’emur
May 2012 year
Groundwater supplies in Georgia:
Water Resources; stock 3m/day
Freshwater 6 503.64
Table water 38.76
Medical-table water 5.86
Medical 29.7
The underground mineral reserves:
The underground mineral reserves:
Resources Measurement Stock Resources
Approved Forecasted
Freshwater Ten. M 3 / day - at night 7617.00 1300
Mineral water Ten. M 3 / day - at night 77,00 16.0
Heat (thermal energy) Ten. M 3 / day - at night 126,00 67.0
Water
Source – Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of GEORGIA