This book consists of the hydrogeochemical study of the springs of the Sicilian territory used for drinking water purposes. One of the most important issues in the environmental field is the protection of water resources and in particular the safeguarding of water intended for drinking water use. Water resources need a careful prevention of pollution starting from multidisciplinary studies (geology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, geophysics) to understand the territory in order to highlight vulnerable areas and then plan, where necessary, monitoring activities for the control and protection of the resource.
The reference is the Piano Regolatore degli Acquedotti (PRGA) of Sicily, Italy (updated in November 2010), which lists all the springs, subdivided by province (a total of 1014), currently used to supply water to Sicilian aqueducts. With regard to the geochemical part, the studies carried out by the INGV, Sezione di Palermo, for the Water Protection Plan for Sicily (2004-2005) were used as basic data. The study of the chemical characteristics of groundwater is of fundamental importance from a hydrogeological point of view as it allows the origin of the water and its evolution to be reconstructed. Springs as a groundwater resource are of considerable importance in relation to the availability of water resources due to the general decrease in precipitation. In the first part of the book all the existing data (flow rates, geochemical parameters, water quality, etc.) are collected and subsequently transferred to GIS software, after appropriate evaluations on the validity of the acquired data. Considering that the subject is quite delicate and involves various aspects (compliance with regulations, vulnerability of groundwater, anthropogenic pollution, etc.), carrying out a purely scientific study allows groundwater to be placed in a broader context than that of legislation aimed exclusively at compliance with the regulations in force.
Esterina Gagliano Candela (Palermo, 12/4/1953-11/10/2020) was graduated in Geological Sciences geophysical address in 1978. Since then she deals with geophysics applied to hydrogeology and GIS applied to environmental data thanks to her collaboration with the Institute of Mining Geophysics of the University of Palermo. Since 2000 she starts her collaboration with INGV-PA dealing with hydrogeochemistry and volcanic surveillance. Since 2004 she is scientific responsible or coordinator of several projects in the environmental field.
Giovannella Pecoraino has a decade's expertise in geochemistry applied to volcanic/hydrothermal systems. Her research experiences include geochemical surveillance of active Italian volcanoes (Ischia, Pantelleria, Vulcano, Etna), geochemistry of fluids, and gas-water-rock interactions in different volcanic and geothermal areas in the world on the basis of chemical (major, minor, and trace elements) and stable isotopic (δD and δ 18O of water, δ 13C of CO2 and TDC, 3He/4He) compositions and gas outputs in fumarolic areas and in lakes (Specchio di Venere, Albano and Nemi Lakes Italy El Chichon, Costa Rica and Barombi Mbo, Cameroon). She has also been involved as responsible or associate in several DPC founding projects with the emphasis on model, on the basis of fluid geochemistry, the structure of the hydro-geothermal system of the Ischia and Pantelleria Islands, and define a conceptual model for the recognition of chemical and/or isotopic precursors of underground eruptions in Vulcano and Phlegraean Fields on the basis of knowledge acquired in Poas and Turrialba (Costa Rica) "groundwater active" volcanoes (FREAPROB-Precursors for phreatic eruptions) in collaboration with Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Geologicas, Universidad de Costa Rica. She has been involved as an associate in several projects in Canary Islands (Spain) focused on the geochemical characterization of the fluids (gas and aquifers) of Tenerife and El Hierro, the evaluation of the CO2 budgets emitted by the soils in the Las Cañadas caldera (Teide). She has also been involved in project in Greek Islands focused on the geochemical characterization of the released gases and CO2 output estimation at the geothermal system of Kos and the Gyali Island. Today, she is involved in the COLLANE project, and she is studying the degassing model for Lago Albano with its implications for the natural CO2budget of volcanic lakes and, on its turn, climate change.
Sabina Morici was born in Palermo on 17/11/1971 professional profile researcher-III level, at INGV-Section of Palermo and participated in the Water And Land Legacy (WALL) project, Tunisia; and programme to support regional cooperation--APQ Mediterranean Line 2.3. The Integrated Project addresses the issue of water resource protection and management in the areas of Kairouan and Cap Bon (Tunisia) and in the area of Licata (Sicily Pilot Project). INGV Palermo Section. Studies and research aimed at the reclassification of groundwater bodies for the updating and management of the Water Protection Plan and the implementation of the Single Monitoring and Information System to support the management of the Hydrographic District of Sicily. Framework Directive 2000/60 EC. - D. Lgs 152/2006 - D. Lgs 30/2009, within the agreement for studies and researches between INGV Sez. of Palermo and the Regional Department of Water and Waste - Water Observatory Service, Sicily Region. Collaboration agreement with the Department of Water and Waste (DAR) for the execution of studies and investigations for the definition of Conceptual Models of groundwater bodies and related geophysical investigations (M. Peloritani, M. Nebrodi e M. Iblei-Ragusani).
Leonardo La Pica was graduated in Geological Sciences in 2002 at the University of Palermo: since 2005 he has benefited from 3 years of scholarships and 10 years of research allowance at the Palermo section of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, and since 2018 he has a fixed-term contract with the professional profile of the technologist. He has always been involved in fluid geochemistry in the context of geochemical surveillance in volcanic and seismic areas of Sicily (Etna, Vulcano and Stromboli) and Campania (Vesuvius and Ischia) and for environmental reasons through the hydrogeochemical study of groundwater. His activity is mainly concerned with the study of the chemical and isotopic composition of groundwater and dissolved gases and of meteoric waters, to describe water-rock interactions and to hypothesize geochemical models related to hydrogeological circulation.
