Environrnental Geology (1996) 27: 135-142 ~ Springer-Verlag 1996

P. RODO. C. RODi

Minerai waters in Italy

Received: 19 Aprii 1995 / Accepted: 2 August 1995

Abstract The use of spring water as a drinking, therapeu-tic, and ornamental resource has historical origins thatdate back to the Romans. The most ancient regulations on"mineraI waters" had been enacted in Italy long before theunion (1870).

Key words MineraI waters . Spas . Water resources

Italy

Introduction

In Italy, consumption of "mineraI waters" as a beverageis increasing. In 1992 the home market was about 6.2 mil-lion liters, with a per capita consumption of 108liters. Thesources of mineraI water national1y include 233 brandsand the spas at present number 181 units (Table 1, Figs.1-3). There is a large variety of physical, chemical, andmedicinal characteristics ofmineral water, many ofwhichwere recognized by the Romans. Here we considered onlytwo mineraI waters that bave a long historical tradition.The water resources and chemistry of the selected springsrefer to aquifers with hydrogeological conditions remark-ably different.

posits bordering the Monte Maggiore carbonate unit,which identifies a morphological step to the gentle slopesof the volcano. The river and the aquifer in volcanic ter-rains form a global system on which linear springs occuralong the main drainage network. The springs ha ve beenknown since Oscian and the lime of the Etruscan people,and certainly they quenched the thirst of Greeks, Cartha-ginians, Sannites, Romans, Goths, and Longobards.

Historical information and archaeological finds showunmistakably that the Romans were able to improvethat water resource with several catchments and thermalplants. Vitruvio (1st century BC) mentions difTerent acidu-lous waters in that area which were thought to bave spe-cial therapeutic power. Later the famous naturalist Pliniothe Old (27-79 AD),Cicero, and Horace refer to the samespring water, keeping alive the tradition but not the splen-dar of the Roman Empire.

The stratigraphy of the catchment area is representedby quaternary volcanoclastic sequences with heteroticcontinental deposits that overlie a dissected karst bedrockstructurally referred 10 as the Monte Maggiore unito Thespring area is located along a fault zone of two main tec-tonic systems with NW and SE trends. The Roccamonfinaquaternary graben and the related volcanic activity thatlasted about 0.25 Ma refer to such a schema tic structuralframe. The carbonate bedrock is intensely fractured andkarstified, while the volcanic cover shows a remarkableanisotrophy due to heterotic facies or phreatomagmaticpiroclastic flow and ashfall sequences. The recharge areais mainly relatedto the southern slopes of the stratoconevolcano, while groundwater flow in both karst and volca-nic reservoirs is hydraulically connected. A remarkableCOz content and calcium and silica concentrations char-acterize the chemical facies of Ferrarelle groundwater.

Ferrarelle minerai water

The Ferrarelle springs afe located on the southeasternedge or the Roccamonfina stratocone volcano (Campaniaregion) close to the northern limits or the Monte Maggioremesozoic karst unito The spring area is located near Ri-cardo (Caserta Province), the nearest municipality to theFerrarelle catchment and bottling plants.

The Savone River crosses the quaternary volcanic de-Fiuggi minerai water

The town and springs or Fiuggi afe located in the mid-dle or the ltalian peninsula, 100 km south or Rome, in a

P. Bono (~) . C. BoniCNR, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universita"La Sapienza," Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5,00185 Rom, Italy

136

Table 1 MineraI water in Italyand main water characteristics' Location

referencenumber(Fig. 2)

Springaltitude(m)

TDS180°C(mg 1-1:

Production(million l yr-l)Brand name pH

240456240570585743720

1400595600

150010001150760680238510900293700500875900

1432400800

1400600

49639236613227620211134

12684

126544253

78054

22696

18222822160

303339

1861139

3524231437

20/30lO 2020/30<lOlO 2020/3070/10070/100lO 20<lO

23456789

lOIl1213141516171819202122232425262728293031

7.257.327.057.607.507.016.65

7.367.70 150/200

150/200lO 20<lOlO 2070/100<lO20/30<lO70/100lO 20lO 20lO 20lO 20<lOlO 20lO 20lO 2020/30lO 20

5.767.707.707.857.556.14

6.506.757.686.806.806.386.706.101050

780

Piemonte regionAugustaSan RoccoSovranaAbrauCamoreiCoralbaGarbarinoLurisiaNuova GareisaRoccoloSorgo della RoccaSan BernardoSan Bernardo (Roccia viva)AlpiaAusoniaBuveraCrodo LisielGaudenzianaGioiosaSan LorenzoValle d'OroVigezzoAlpi CoziePian della MussaPicSan GratoSan MicheleSpareaValmoraLauretanaValverde

Liguria regionMadonna della GuardiaSanta RitaSo VittoriaBauda CalizzanoFonte del LupoVallechiara

Lombardia regionBraccaFlaviaGaverinaLimpiaOrobicaPinetaPracastelloPrealpiPrimulaStella AlpinaSan Carlo SpinoneSan PellegrinoBoarioCastello di VallioLindaSoleSan SilvestroTavinaChiarellaDaggioGajumLeonardoParavisoSant'AntonioSan FrancescoSan Luigi

323334353637

680750

1380980398398

101591183353134

7.208.107.456.305.90

102030/5020/3020/3020/3020/30

3839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263

400400500

725259575

7.207.347.44

50/7050/7050/70200/30020/30lO 20

200/30020/3050/7020/3050/70200/300200/30010/2050/70<lO20/3050/7030/5070/10030/5070/100<lO150/200150/20010/20

400700358480400900400358217196

6515050070

7601935481900907313

34418982733036850

422197535265343371

135535016648

20060

229162134219

7.247.607.227.237.287.137.157.717.357.587.107.107.057.107.707.257.707.607.457.90

627 7.50

Table 1 (conto)Locationreferencenumber(Fig. 2)

Springaltitude(m)

TDS180°C(mg l-l)

Production(million 1 yr-l)Brand name pH

64656667

625435

1848271

379968

222

7.357.057.757.75

30/5030/50>30010/20

6869707172737475

11751340183015401250164013941100

7551381

2621

2422378538

10/2010/2010/20<lO<lO20/30100/15020/30

7.606.506.207.406.806.606.00

76 1370 71 8.08 30/50

10/20>300>300>300

70/10010/20<10

10/2070/10010/20<10

150/200<10<10

10/20

452602020

805530

19415728527112536

377136274180100154

23581634298

7.707.807.407.507.956.007.007.707.657.708.008.106.306.407.50

777879808182838485868788899091

72564063045080026045065

9293949596979899

100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119

680190150150

22

900936716800800165950164447200

1015159600165300258200865225

38243355857056357126510936622312362054

461181540163609615

2889819251609364577350159676

7.337.407.157.057.237.257.017.887.257.537.387.117.807.657.207.007.457.187.336.457.818.047.657.037.10

20/30<10

10/2010/2030/5030/5010/2020/30

10/2010/2030/5020/30100/15010/20100/15030/5030/50<10<10<10

10/20100/15010/20<10

30/5020/30<10

1006590

7.777.65

BerninaFrisiaLevissimaFrida

Trentino regionAcqua ImperatoreLavaredoPloseSan VigilioIdreaLevico-CasaraPejoSurgiva

Friuli regionGoccia di Camia

Veneto regionVena d'OroVeraGuizzaSan BenedettoAcquachiaraAlbaAzzurraBeberDolomitiLissaLoneraLoraMargheritaReginaBalda

Emilia-Romagna regionCereliaBonoraFontesanaGalvaninaSacramoraSan GiulianoFonte del ParcoMonte CimoneMonteforteSan DanieleTre FontaneAemiliaDucaleFontechiaraFontenovaLidiaLynxMadonna della MercedeMontinvemoPergoliRivianaRocca GalganaSant'AndreaS. ModerannoVaraninaVerdianaVentassoVis

Toscana regionFontemuraLeonaPerla

120121122

318217633

7.407.007.80

10/20<lO10/20

144330

138

Table 1 (cont.) Locationreferencenumber(Fig. 2)

Springaltitude(m)

TDS180°C(mg 1-1)

Production(million l yr-1pHBrand name

7.80 10/20<1020/3020/30<10

330120096040020030

600580292375500500300

614042

12598123519

85020529

500500550

62576

144306563

198818

167126642249

559176921247506741

1000488

1622491

199717132802600

447

123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149

7.507.157.257.707.607.757.655.755.705.705.766.607.116.706.547.056.417.05

10/2010/20>300<1020/3020/30<1020/30<10<10<1020/30200/30010/20<1020/30<10<10<10<10<IO

SantaFioraSapore di ToscanaVemaCintoiaFontepatriIlariaLentulaPalinaPannaNapoleoneAmorosaFontevivaSan CarloCoronaGenerosaPieveSan LeopoldoTesorinoUlivetoVallicelleReginaSilvaSan FeliceTettuccioAcqua SantaFucoliSant'Elena

Umbria regionFlaminiaFonte TulliaMisiaMotetteRocchettaSanfaustinoSanto RaggioSassovivoVascianoAmerinoFabiaSangemini

Marche regionFrasassiSan CassianoFonte del GalloFonte di PalmeMadonna dell' AmbroPalmense del PicenoPreistoricaTinneaRoanaSan GiacomoSanta LuciaCinziaOriannaPetra PertusaVaI di Meti

Lazio regionFiuggiSan MarcoCottorellaAppiaClaudiaEgeriaGiuliaM.."

7.807.536.80

6.807.40

205227249147174

1076529200

1440407402

1059

7.35 30/5020/30<lO20/3020/3020/30<lO<lO<lO<lO200/300200/300

150151152153154155156157158159160161

500550

7.557.407.786.057.297.596.157.487.006.10

700536350424600400390330380

30/5030/50<lO<lO<lO<lO<lO70/10010/20<lO<lO<lO<lO10/2020/30

322325638160638120700700

149253922880112

118600

319212463460372578385216103489549289465261318

7.407.707.807.217.306.738.007.65

162163164165166167168169170171172173174175176

7.227.197.407.407.317.35

6.506.207.30

70/100<10<1030/5050/7030/5050/70<10

59014140011014320

143200

1081848297673788621

177178179180181182183184

5.80

6.67216

39

Table 1 (cont.Locationreferencenumber(Fig. 2)

Springaltitude(m)

TDS180°C(mg l-I)

Production(million l yr-Brand name pH

185186187188189190

76820

14622735020

113689673508248

2270

7.605.905.705.606.40

<lO10/2010/2030/50<lO10/20

191192193

800830589

182182608

20/3020/30<lO

7.407.15

194195196197198199200201202203204205

5511130098O6

16751597976

1035820790319

1730602893212

1796

6.385.805.946.006.206.807.486.30

<lO>30030/5030/50<lO20/3050/7010/2070/100

1399950

65050

6.607.506.37

10/2010/20

206207

97 355510

7.457.10

20/30<IO

208209210211212213214

656640450656450491656

6371189515680

19701067560

5.805.905.705.966.106.506.10

50/70100/150<lO50/7010/2020/3050/70

215216217218

400400750

1200

775979

581

6.68 <lO<lO<lO50/70

6.466.39

219220221222223

5511212

920550

133011361530119342

<lO30/5050/7030/5020/30

6.707.276.807.00

224225226227228229230231232233

7140040071

160400400270900350

230276245

1479249241263

2967171

1227

6.65 20/30150/200150/20050/7010/20150/200150/20010/2010/2020/30

6.876.40

RegillaS.M. CapannelleSan PietroAcqua di NepiMinerai NeriAcetosa San Paolo

Abruzzo regionSanta CroceSpongaSanta Reparata

Campania regionTeleseFerrarelleLeteSantagataAcetosellaAcqua della MadonnaFaitoVesuvioDon CarloImoSanto StefanoVitologatti

Puglia regionEurekaParavita

Basilicata regionCutolo-RioneroGaudianelloItalaLa FrancescaTokaTraficanteVisciolo

Calabria regionCertosa (F. Camarda)Certosa (F. Pema)Madonnina della CalabriaMangiatorella

Sicilia regionAcquarossaPozzilloCiappazziFontalbaAcquabaida

Sardegna regionGiaraLeviaPuraSandaliaSattaiSant'AngeloSan GiorgioSan MartinoSmeraldinaSanta Lucia

6.206.626.82

. Data from Annuario Acque

Minerali Italiane 1991-92. Ed.Laus, Milano

wooded depression, situated on the southern slope of Sim-bruini mountains. Some archeological remains demon-strate that the Fiuggi springs were already known and ex-

ploited during the Roman period (4th century BC). Withthe fall of the Roman Empire, the region first became apart of the Roman dukedom, and later on feudal holding

.~..

~~" ~~... (:eneZia

. J . Bolognaoe. . o..0 ..~I!... .L ..o~. ... .. ....... .. t. ~~ ~ Ancon.~. ~ ~.... . o. .

~- o~~.. . .'~.

140

Fig. 1 Location or mineraiwater catchment areas and spapiants in Itaiy: (1) catchmentarea or minerai water andreiated bottiing piant; (2) spa;(3) major spring or group orsprings with discharges or0.5-20 m3 S-l; (4) boundaryaiignment or Padaniasprings ("Linea dellerisorgive"); (5) submarine : .,.!spring ... f~ .'

.Genova'-

;\~

~

'"~ t-t- ~ 'P'.~ Yoo '" t- Roma 'P.... ~ N t-t-Ba:i .'P. 'P. .'P~.On -o .Na:!.~",~ '~o .'Fa~t-oo~ t- 'P

00'P

~~" " .". "

5-.~I~

. ."1il° ~. .

o 40 80 120 160 200 km

some small springs, the main oDe of which is named afterPope Bonifacio VIII. The enti re outcrop is covered by aflourishing chestnut wood.

Aroundthe springs lies a huge park in which it is possi-ble to drink Fiuggi waters and where cultural and rec-reational activities take pIace. Spring discharge, whichamounts to only 203 l S-1, is inadequate to meet the in-creased demand for mineraI waters in Italy. During the1970s, in order to meet the consumer's requirements, awell field was built near the springs which doubled theproduction of mineraI water. The physical and chemicalcharacteristics of Fiuggi water afe its acidic pH and verylow mineraI contento

of the Pope; in the~ 1500s the area became a feudal hold-ing of the Colonna family. Fiuggi springs bave been men-tioned several times in Vatican documents. According tothem we know that Pope Bonifacio VIII and the greatMichelangelo Buonarroti drank at Fiuggi springs totreat calculous. More recently a number of popes, states-men; and artists ha ve spent some time in Fiuggi to treatcalculous and gout.

Although Fiuggi springs afe located in a depressed areawithin a karst ridge, they afe not fed by a karst aquifer.These waters afe sustained by a moderate outcrop of vol-canic tura, erupted by Albano volcano, lying on lacustrinesediments that filI the karst depression. Tufa deposits, out-cropping over an area of a few square kilometers supply

14

Fig. 2 MineraI water springlocation and reference number(Tabie 1)

313. .0...'.2..

I i6 ',OI\ t, 2' .,t. ,. ti

~>A', "

.., ..,

"' , -,~ o ,

\:0 \-'0 Mila"~o a l~ ,-l-.::~ -,-. ' ' .2 25 Torino

, ""\ ..2-' , .. "'DO. '2 '. 115. ."",",". .

Genova 'D', .

'3,-'35 -

, ,., "2 "3,.. "5 "'O '.

'3,

120 f

,.

'2~

A'71 ~'O" \

2 ~ Bar.. ,..'" .~'J- . 20120.210

Napoli o ,. 211 2'2 213~~~'o, ". o '02

,.,' ::::~1r\,-

~ :23( 2331

r j"' 20 ).~20'

.~I[ri

I.~.~J~~~

':{

.~.~22' (2228

I220

2'"

o 40 80 120 160 200 km

i,:::;;$':~

~

(1)~ a

~b(2) .;:::::~:~::::;::

(3)lm'"'-'-:?\ ,/,-,,_,-f,;-.!,~oI.-:

( 4 ) [!ll!!D

(5)~

;1\}~\*:;:;%\\j

142

Fig. 3 Regional aquifer schemeof Italy: (1) aquifer in karstterrains-(a) neritic facies;(b) pelagic facies; (2) aquifer inalluvial terrains; (3) aquifer involcanic terrains; (4) igneousand metamorphic terrains; ,

(5) inditTerentiate flysch andophiolite terrains; (6) springor group of springs (mean \

discharge 0.5-18 m3 S-I);(7) submarine spring(discharge unknown);(8) boundary alignment ofPadania springs ("Lineadelle risorgive")

~.

o, ~

~"teI'" ,-

.""

o 40 80 120 160 200 km

(6).

(7)tI

3)~