Influence of Anthropogenic Pressures on Groundwater Quality from a Rural Area

During the past few decades, the anthropogenic activities induced worldwide changes in the ecological
systems, including the aquatic systems. This work analysed the contamination level of groundwater resources
from a rural agglomeration (Central-Western part of Prahova County) by biological and physico-chemical
approaches. The study was performed during the autumn of 2016 on several sampling sites (four drilling
wells, depth higher than 100 m supplying three villages; two wells lower than 10 m depth and one spring).
The water quality was evaluated by comparison with the limit values of the drinking water quality legislation
(Law no.458/2002) and the Order 621/2014 (applicable to all groundwater bodies of Romania). The results
showed that phenols and metals (iron and manganese) exceeded the threshold values in all sampling sites.
Moreover, the anthropogenic factors including agriculture, use of fertilizers, manures, animal husbandry led
to an increase of the bacterial load, particularly at wells sites.