Pardubice water utility reports 92% increase in pipeline failures

Vodovody a kanalizace Pardubice reported a 92 percent increase in water network failures between June 1 and August 25 compared to the same period last year. A total of 48 malfunctions were recorded, up from 25 in the previous year.

The increase was observed across the Pardubice, Holice, and Přelouč regions. The most significant spike occurred in the Přelouč area, where failures rose from two to twelve. In Pardubice, incidents increased from 14 to 23, while Holice saw an increase from nine to 13.

Company officials attribute the rise to prolonged drought and high temperatures. As the soil dries out, it changes in volume and creates mechanical tension that is transferred to the underground pipes. Older infrastructure, particularly grey cast iron pipes, appears more vulnerable to these environmental shifts than modern, more flexible materials.