Groundwater sources, particularly public, group scheme and industrial supplies, are of critical importance in many regions.

The Public Supply Source Protection Areas dataset comprises Source Protection Areas (SPAs) around groundwater abstraction points that are managed by Irish Water to supply Public Water Supply Schemes across Ireland. The objective of the SPAs is to provide protection by placing tighter controls on activities within all or part of the zone of contribution (ZOC) of the source. The Zone of Contribution (ZOC) is the land area that contributes water to the well or spring.

Two Source Protection Areas (SPAs) are delineated. The Inner Protection Area (SI), designed to protect against the effects of human activities that might have an immediate effect on the source and, in particular, against microbial pollution. The Outer Protection Area (SO), encompassing the remainder of the zone of contribution (ZOC) to the groundwater abstraction point (e.g. borehole or spring).