Approximately 14% of the population in the Czech Republic (CR) are permanently supplied with drinking water from individual sources. The quality of water in public wells is checked from time to time but results are not registered centrally. The owners of private wells do not even have any obligation to control the quality of water except when a new source is being inspected for approval. Notwithstanding that information is lacking on the nation wide level about the real state of affairs; on the basis of one regional investigation it was estimated and officially presented that almost 100% of the population supplied from individual sources have water hygienically unsatisfactory.
In order for a qualified estimate to be made there have been amassed results of water analyses from 3377 samplings of about 1700 public wells and 3954 samplings of about 3300 private wells carried out by the Public Health Service in the years 1991 through 1998 in eleven districts of seven regions in the CR.
The results obtained do not confirm the official data that water from 95-98% of all wells would be unsafe to drink. Hazards to health are apparently only about 70% of wells. Although the presented image of the quality of wells in the CR can be somewhat improved by such a findings, the situation should henceforth still be considered alarming.
(Source: Vodni hospodarstvi 2/2000 S. 35-38)
Information & Contact:
MUDr. Kozisek F., CSc.
Ing. Kratzer K., CSc.
Statni zdravotni ustav
Srobarova 48
100 42 Praha 10
tel. 004202 67081111
