Issue

Introduction State Pressure Impact Response Action  Resources Water guide Monitoring Maps Databases

 What is the general situation with the ISSUE ?
The quality of water in streams and water courses in the territory of Prague is still a long way from good. According to the CSN 75 7221 Czech Standard criteria, all streams and water courses in Prague are either heavily or very heavily polluted (Classes IV or V). The quality of water has not shown any significant change in recent years.
Drinking water from the public water supply system is brought to more than 99 % of the city´s inhabitants. All samples taken during 1997 were in compliance with Czech National Standard insofar as relevant chemical, bacteriological, or biological parameters excluding three samples with increased content of iron. (The standard is based on WHO directive and is fully compatible with other European standards.)

 What is causing the problems ?
The pollution load discharged into the river in the territory of Prague results in a water quality deterioration. Comparing the Vltava water quality upstream and downstream of Prague, it drops by approximately one class in the latter case.

  
 What are the impacts of this issue ?
There was no proven case of a disease in which the consumption of drinking water from the public water supply system was identified as the source of infection. Analyses of concentrations of chemical substances in drinking water indicate that there could not be any direct detrimental consequences of the consumption of drinking water to human health.

 What is being done to fix the problems ?
The single most important source of waste water, or pollution discharged into surface streams, is the Central Waste Water Treatment Plant (ÚCOV), into which most of the sewage and rainwater collection system in the territory of Prague empties. To determine a strategy of drainage and sewage collection measures, a Master Drainage Plan of Prague has been prepared and an upgrading of the Central Waste Water Treatment Plant began. In addition to the central plant, there are 24 small waste water treatment plants (COV) being built or operating in the territory of Prague.
Developed institutional, legislative and economic instruments are efficient tools for improving water quality.
New technological measures of the drinking water treatment plants have recently contributed to an improved drinking water quality.

 What can an individual do to make a difference ?