PATHOGEN FATE AND TRANSPORT IN A FRACTURED AQUIFER AT SALENTO, ITALY: FIELD DESCRIPTION AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS

This study investigates the fate and transport of pathogens introduced by artificial groundwater recharge at the Nardò fractured aquifer in Salento, Italy. Wastewater effluents from a municipal treatment plant with known pathogen concentrations were injected into a sinkhole and the migration of pathogens in the fractured aquifer was monitored at various sampling wells. Two tracer tests using iodine and chlorophyll were carried out. The spatial variability of the mean fracture aperture was determined by well-established geostatistical procedures and local aperture measurements evaluated by pumping borehole field tests. The preliminary experimental field data suggest that the required setback distance for drinking wells should be larger than 200 m limit imposed by Italian regulations.