Odolena Voda water contamination: 15,000 people without safe drinking water

Approximately 15,000 residents across 12 municipalities in the Odolena Voda region of the Czech Republic remain without safe drinking water due to lead contamination in the distribution network. While recent testing at major reservoirs in Odolena Voda and Máslovice has shown lead levels below hygienic limits, specific areas continue to show high concentrations. For instance, a sample from Postřižín recorded 28.9 micrograms of lead per liter, nearly triple the safety limit.

Středočeské vodárny (Central Bohemian Waterworks) is actively flushing the distribution network and monitoring over 25 locations daily. The company is currently supplying the network from uncontaminated sources. Residents are advised to use tap water only for hygiene and sanitation, not for drinking or food preparation. Emergency water cisterns are being deployed to schools, nurseries, and medical facilities.

The Czech Police and the Czech Environmental Inspectorate are investigating the cause of the contamination, which may be linked to contaminated wells or potential leakage from the nearby Kasova Rokle former landfill. Criminal charges have been filed against an unknown perpetrator regarding potential environmental damage caused by negligence.