The Earth is 97.5% ocean and an even smaller 2.5% fresh water. Of this 2.5%, a large majority of fresh water comes from glaciers and only 30.1% is groundwater (Visualizing Physical Geography p. 329). In the grand scheme of water on our planet, this 30.1% represents a very small resource that the world can use. Groundwater is not just that found in rivers, lakes and streams, it also includes water below the surface. The majority of the water we use daily comes from groundwater. It is imperative that groundwater be protected to the extent of human capacity. Cemeteries have a role to play in protecting the groundwater beneath their land. Bodies and coffins will decompose over time. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) identifies that when this degradation occurs; embalming fluid, pathogens/microbes and nitrogen compounds could contaminate groundwater beneath the cemetery (Cemeteries, Burials & the Water Environment; www.ni-environment.gov.uk). Groundwater supplies many of our drinking resources, such as natural wells, aquifers, and man-made sources, such as water and sewer companies. If these contaminants enter these consumption sources, they could cause illness and death in the worst cases. A major concern in countries like the UK where they have experienced deaths on an extreme scale, compared to the Middle Ages when the bubonic plague struck many. of Europe. Anna Williams mentions the growing threat of avian flu pandemics that could occur in the United Kingdom (A.Williams et al. www.academia.edu). In such situations, common burials are a possibility and pose a threat to the environment. Many cemeteries around the world are home to thousands of contaminants that travel along the paper. it was necessary to attack the soil surface or even the suspension in the air (A. Williams et al. www.academia.edu). Groundwater is vulnerable to many types of contamination such as inorganic compounds, formaldehyde, arsenic, and materials used in the casket. construction (A. Williams et al. www.academia.edu). Funeral homes and cemeteries as well as governments around the world are trying to develop ways to reduce the chances of these contaminants entering groundwater, which in turn supplies the people around these cemeteries with consumable water. Strahler, Merali; Visualize physical geography; page 3292. www.ni-environment.gov.uk; Cemeteries, burials and aquatic environment3. www.academia.edu/270607/Environmental_Considerations_for_Common_Burial_Site_Selection_After_Pandemic_Events