The name Pozzuolo comes from the local natural pools and water springs known as fontanili. The fresh water drawn from them at a temperature of 11 degrees once supplied courtyard wells and supported local agriculture.

A “fontanile” is composed of two elements: a head and a shaft or canal. Below the head  there are water veins, where, hardly exceeding a depth of 3 meters, oak tubs or cement pipes with a diameter of about 70-80 cm,  were inserted. The water rising from the tubs to the head of the spring is directed into the shaft or canal that lets it flow out.

Fontanili have always been important for agriculture,  because of the considerable amount of irrigation water they provide at a constant temperature of 12-14 degrees throughout the year.

The regular maintenance of the fountain is crucial to preserve water circulation and prevent silting.

Only few springs are still active. One of them is the Fontanile Cereda, which rises  near Cascina Porro, and flows through the countryside, reaching the town and splitting into two branches. In the past, it supplied the water meadows located south of Pozzuolo; today, it is active during the summer season.