To data, there was no systematic basis for establishing the content and allowed levels of general contamination substances in the Korean groundwater quality standards for non-drinking water. Recently, use of specific procedures for deriving valid groundwater quality standards have become mandatory. This study first investigated the methodology for deriving groundwater quality standards in the European Commission (EC), considering background groundwater quality and domestic and international standards related to water quality. Furthermore, this study investigated the existing specified procedure of standards related to water quality (e.g. surface water, drinking water, and wastewater). Our findings showed that EC and Member States presented the methods for deriving groundwater threshold values for general chemicals. Finally, we have proposed the following procedures of deriving Korean groundwater quality: (1) Selection of groundwater pollutant population, (2) selection and monitoring of priority substances, (3) monitoring, (4) selection of groundwater quality standard candidates, (5) selection of new substances and values for groundwater quality standards.