Special Issue - Call for Papers - Safety and protection of groundwater for drinking use
Safety and protection of groundwater for drinking use
Groundwater, extracted from wells and springs, supplies nearly 50% of the world’s drinking water and accounts for approximately 85% of the water distributed through the Italian aqueduct network, making it a strategic resource for public supply. Ensuring access to safe water, both in terms of quantity and quality, is a fundamental right. The recent EU Directive 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption, transposed into Italian law through Legislative Decree No. 18 of 23 February 2023 and Legislative Decree No. 102 of 19 June 2025, sets out two key objectives: protecting human health by preventing contamination of drinking water and ensuring it is clean and safe; improving access to drinking water for all citizens.
Among the most significant innovations is the adoption of a risk-based approach to safety of drinking water, which requires public authorities to conduct and approve risk assessments and risk management plans for recharge areas associated with groundwater abstraction points; water utilities to perform risk assessments and implement management strategies for each drinking water supply system, through the development of a Water Safety Plan (WSP). In relation to hydrogeological aspects, the risk assessment must specifically address: impacts of climate change; vulnerability mapping; exposure to contamination, including emerging pollutants.
This Special Issue is proposed by the working group “Safety of groundwater abstractions” (SiCaptAS) of the Italian Chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH Italy), and aims to bring together methodologies, experiences, and case studies related to groundwater abstraction and hydrogeological challenges, with a specific focus on the implementation of the WSP. Research papers and technical notes are welcome from all stakeholders involved in the water safety process, such as water utilities, regional and provincial authorities, environmental protection agencies, technical and scientifical communities.
In the specific framework of groundwater for drinking use, topics include the following or a combination of them:
- Vulnerability assessment and mapping
- Spring and well protection zones
- Emerging contaminants
- Climate change scenarios
- Groundwater management
- Groundwater modeling
- Groundwater monitoring
Scientific papers, technical reports and notes are welcome, in English or Italian, following the Journal guidelines.
Guest Editors
Valentina Vincenzi, Studio Geologico Vincenzi Valentina, Ferrara, Italy
Emanuele Ferretti, Istituto Superiore di Sanità/Centro Nazionale Sicurezza delle Acque, Roma, Italy
Massimiliano Pelizzari, Ufficio d’Ambito di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
Francesco Ronchetti, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
Marco Rotiroti, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
Alberto Tazioli, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts must be submitted online by registering and logging in here. A guide for authors and other relevant information is also available. At the time of submission please select the section "Special Issue - Safety and protection of groundwater for drinking use".
The submission deadline is set for July 15th 2026. Submitted manuscripts must neither have been published previously, nor simultaneously submitted for publication elsewhere. All submissions will pass pre-check by Editors and then they will be peer-reviewed by anonymous reviewers. Upon acceptance, the papers will be published continuously and listed on the special issue website. Please visit the Guidelines for Authors and the Submission guidelines pages before submitting a manuscript.
No Article Processing Charge (APC) for Open Access publication in the Special Issue is due.
