An integrated approach to social vulnerability assessment of groundwater resources in the Moldavian Plain under temperate climatic conditions

The Moldavian Plain is located in the northeastern part of Romania and is administratively divided between the counties of Botosani and Iasi. This study aims to analyze the social vulnerability associated with groundwater resources, at Romania`s smallest territorial administrative units’ scale (176 communes). The vulnerability assessment was conducted using 20 social and natural variables, classified using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method into six main components. This approach facilitated the calculation of the Social-Groundwater Vulnerability Index (SoGwVI) and the mapping of its spatial distribution at the communes’ level. The results indicate that 29.5 % of the communes analyzed have very high or high vulnerability. Social factors such as population density decreased accessibility to a centralized water supply system, and the prevalent agricultural land use associated with natural ones (low precipitation, decreased rock permeability and the hydrographic network) generate the aforementioned social vulnerability in Romania, especially in the Central and Eastern parts of the analyzed region. The results provide valuable knowledge and can be integrated into social and economic development plans for rural communities, accounting for the fact that the northeast region of Romania is considered one of the least developed regions in the European Union. • A new approach to assessing Social-Groundwater Vulnerability Index (SoGwVI) is provided. • Twenty indicators assessed social vulnerability associated to groundwater resources and its geographical distribution. • Vulnerability level is low in 30 % of communes, while it is high in 29 % of communes.