THE INFLUENCE OF A MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILL ON GROUNDWATER QUALITY: A MODELING CASE STUDY FOR RÂURENI–RÂMNICU VÂLCEA (ROMANIA)

Municipal solid waste landfi lls are potential long-term sources of pollution for both humans and the environment and need to be managed properly both during their lifetime and after closure. This paper analyzes the infl uence of the Râureni-Râmnicu Vâlcea landfi ll (Romania) on the concentration of pollutant reaching the groundwater and the nearby Olt River. Prediction of contaminant concentration in groundwater is based on a simple mathematical model of solute transport. Model parameters are determined from fi eld data and scale analysis. Despite its recent closure after 32 years of activity, this landfi ll has the potential to continue to pollute both the Olt River and the groundwater for decades. Sensitivity analyses are performed to determine the impact of varying the dispersivity coeffi cients on the resulting contaminant transport and distribution in the aquifer. Aquifer pollution is predicted for twenty years beyond the landfi ll closure. Enhanced landfi ll monitoring and establishment of a shared data portal for Romanian environmental data is highly recommended.