3rd International Multidisciplinary Conference
on Mineral and Thermal Waters

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Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Field trip
Thursday

Report on MinWat2020

The 3rd International Multidisciplinary Conference on Mineral and Thermal Waters, MinWat2020 was held in Caserta (Italy) from June 26th to 30th, 2022. It follows up on previously organized and successful meetings in 2014 in Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) and in 2017 in Luso (Portugal). MinWat2020 is an international event organized by the IAH Commission on Mineral and Thermal Waters (IAH CMTW), the IAH Italian Chapter, the Italian universities of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli "Federico II", Padova and Tuscia, with the substantial help of the Ferrarelle benefit corporation. The conference was also honored to host the IAH President, David Kreamer, the Vice-President of Programme and Science of IAH, Marco Petitta, and the President of IAH Italian Chapter, Sergio Rusi.
Following similar paths of past editions, in the context of the IAH CMTW’s activities, the Conference was an opportunity to stimulate ideas and discussions on topics related to mineral and thermal waters, while involving scientists, academics, professionals, policy makers and the business world.

The history of MinWat2020 has been very complex, considering that, the original congress date was March 2020, more than two years ago, but the unexpected world health situation forced the organizers to postpone its date as many as four times. It was the only possible choice in a period where it was impossible to make long term forecasts. Despite these problems we decided that the conference should be held in person, because it was time to send out a strong signal to our community and because science must be discussed face to face and not through a screen.

However, the organizing committee decided to use two years delay of MinWat2020 to work hard and to publish a thematic special issue on Environmental Geochemistry and Health, a Springer journal, collecting 20 selected presentations later discussed during the Conference.

In the world today it seems that weapons, eventually we did not learn from past lessons, can make the law and decide who’s right and who’s wrong. On the contrary, we strongly believe that science (and science meetings of course) should be an example of how different opinions should be peacefully discussed and compared without boundaries of state, race or religion and MinWat2020 and its participants are one of these examples.

Despite the difficulties of our times, we counted close to 100 participants – most of them attending in person - from 26 countries across Europe, Americas and Asia, and from Industry, Universities and Research Centers. Summaries of the overall scientific contributions to the Conference were collected in the Abstract Book published by IAH Italian Chapter.

At the Conference there were 4 keynote lectures, from both the research and the industrial communities (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology - INGV, Danone, Natural Mineral Waters Europe - NMWE, World Federation of Hydrotherapy and Climatotherapy-FEMTEC), 30 oral presentations and 34 posters and all participants taken part actively, stimulating profitable discussions. During the conference there was also an exciting field trip focused on the thermal area of Telese, and the Ferrarelle factory and productive wells. We had the chance to taste waters directly from the spring and having, at the end of the field trip, the possible to see the Ferrarelle (gas and water) geyser.

Presentations were split into four research areas: Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of Mineral and Thermal Waters; Protection and Management of Mineral and Thermal Waters; Bottled Mineral Waters; Health Issues, Balneology and Balneotherapy.

During the Conference, the meeting of the IAH CMTW coordinated by the President, Jim Lamoreaux, and the Secretary, Adam Porowski, was held. Discussions were focused on future activities of the Commission and most of all to the choice of next possible Conference. The choice went on Davos in Switzerland in 2024. All members participated and agreed to the final choices.

MinWat2020 was a platform where researchers and professionals can come together sharing knowledge and technology, while openly debating on policies that work best for individual operators and the community at large.

In the final speech was noted the absence of scientists from developing countries, where in most cases, the resource water is most in danger. A special effort must be done to work and share information and education in countries in the southern part of the world and being more active in creating collaborations in those areas of the planet.

Finally, the Organizing Committee express a sincere appreciation to the sponsors for their great support in making this event possible. First of all, Ferrarelle benefit corporation, and then Paparelli, Samminiatese Pozzi, Sartorius, Terme di Boario, Panelli e ISO4.

Organizing Committee of MinWat2020