An Oracle® relational database was integrated with a data management system including custom-made user interface, surface modeling, and three-dimensional (3D) modeling tools to produce an easily updatable 3D hydrogeologic model of the Virttaankangas aquifer, southwestern Finland. The area will be used to provide the 285,000 inhabitants of the Turku region with artificially recharged groundwater. The implementation of this artificial recharge project requires capabilities to store and process a variety of data, which are updating on a daily basis. The database and the integrated modeling tools allow the user to concentrate on the interpretation of geologic factors and their interactions and to have an access to the most up-to-date 3D hydrogeologic model, while the common and laborious routine tasks have been automated. Integration of the geodatabase, 3D hydrogeologic model, groundwater flow model and possible solute transport models can be used to reach the quantitative understanding of the aquifer system. During the process, the benefits of using geologic models and other visualization tools can be applied to many sectors involved with the artificial infiltration project.

Anthropogenic chemicals in surface water and groundwater cause concern especially when the water is used in drinking water production. Due to their continuous release or spill-over at waste water treatment plants, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are constantly present in aquatic environment and despite their low concentrations, APIs can still cause effects on the organisms. In the present study, Chemcatcher passive sampling was applied in surface water, surface water intake site, and groundwater observation wells to estimate whether the selected APIs are able to end up in drinking water supply through an artificial groundwater recharge system. The API concentrations measured in conventional wastewater, surface water, and groundwater grab samples were assessed with the results obtained with passive samplers. Out of the 25 APIs studied with passive sampling, four were observed in groundwater and 21 in surface water. This suggests that many anthropogenic APIs released to waste water proceed downstream and can be detectable in groundwater recharge. Chemcatcher passive samplers have previously been used in monitoring several harmful chemicals in surface and wastewaters, but the path of chemicals to groundwater has not been studied. This study provides novel information on the suitability of the Chemcatcher passive samplers for detecting APIs in groundwater wells.

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Elevated concentrations of sulphate, chloride, and nickel were discovered in water samples taken from the Töllinperä aquifer in western Finland. The area is located adjacent to the tailings area of the Hitura nickel mine. Earlier studies revealed that the groundwater contamination resulted from tailings-derived mine waters leaking from a tailings impoundment area. The tailings area directly overlies the Weichselian esker system, part of which is the Töllinperä classifi ed groundwater area.The observed groundwater and surface water contamination resulted in a need to characterize the subsurface geology in the whole area of the contaminated esker aquifer. The primary sedimentary units were introduced into a three-dimensional (3-D) geologic model of the aquifer made with EarthVision  geologic modeling software. The information obtained from the 3-D geological model was then introduced into a numerical groundwater fl ow model made with MODFLOW code, which was calibrated with MODFLOWP code.The results of this study were used to guide the sealing of the tailings impoundment in order to prevent the further contamination of the Töllinperä aquifer. The groundwater fl ow model was used to interpret and simulate the fl ow system, and to provide a plan to safely continue water supply to local inhabitants from the unpolluted parts of the aquifer.

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