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The water supply in the Romanian counties of Olt and Vàlcea is mainly from groundwater from a deep aquifer system in Pliocene formations. Isotope analyses have been used to establish the supply area of the deep aquifer system. The age of the groundwater has been estimated for two samples by using 14C analysis. A simplified numerical model for a north–south cross‐section has provided global values for the hydraulic conductivity and effective porosity of the aquifer system. The groundwater from permeable horizons deeper than 120–140 m is highly mineralised and is, therefore, inappropriate for use as a water supply. Because groundwater resources are limited, the water supply for industry and domestic use in urban regions cannot increase too much. Thus, the deep aquifer system could also be used as a water supply for rural regions.

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The area of Ploiesti in Romania was among the first oil producing regions in the world. The refineries and oil pipelines have leaked petroleum products over many years. An area of at least 500 ha is contaminated by free product light non-aqueous-phase liquid (LNAPL), affecting one third of Ploiesti’s water supplies. To date it has been possible to compensate by extending the well fields and using surface water, but the long-term sustainability of these measures has not been investigated. The Prahova and Teleajan rivers, tributaries of the River Danube, are also at risk. A conceptual map is presented to show the evolution of LNAPL contamination between 1980 and 2000, and the quantity of oil in each plume is estimated. Potential recovery of oil using a conventional pump-and-treat system is also calculated, with costs and possible revenue. An outline programme for investigation and remediation is presented, part of which is being implemented with a European Community grant. Although the severity of contamination was at least partly realised in the 1970s, only the recent move towards privatization could mobilize sufficient financial resources to address this problem and protect groundwater resources for future use.

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