Předslav municipality manages uranium contamination in drinking water

The municipality of Předslav, located in the Klatov region of the Czech Republic, is utilizing a borrowed water tanker to manage drinking water supplies due to uranium contamination in local wells. The village has two water systems; however, one contains uranium levels exceeding safety limits. To ensure safe consumption, officials must dilute the contaminated water with water imported from a second well or from the Klatov waterworks.

Mayor Miloslav Kreuzer stated that the municipality is renting a nine-cubic-meter tanker from the Administration of State Material Reserves (SSHR) until October, at a monthly cost of 41,000 CZK. This process is necessary to dilute uranium levels from 34 units down to the permitted 20 units. The water supply serves approximately 400 residents in Předslav and Měcholupy, as well as a local agricultural firm.

In addition to contamination, the region is facing water shortages caused by drought, which has led to the drying up of several wells. Attempts to drill a new well were unsuccessful as the new site was also found to be contaminated. While filtration systems could remove the uranium, the mayor noted they would cost millions of crowns and require expensive specialized disposal of radioactive waste.