Ötztaler Ache river closed to water sports due to sewage contamination

A major wastewater treatment plant in Sölden, Tyrol, remains non-functional following a massive landslide in July that buried the facility under approximately 100,000 cubic meters of debris and mud. As a result, untreated sewage is being temporarily diverted into the Ötztaler Ache, a river popular with water sports enthusiasts.

While basic cleaning has resumed, experts warn that pathogens, pharmaceutical residues, and harmful nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus continue to enter the river unfiltered. Health authorities have issued a strict ban on swimming and water sports, including rafting and canoeing, in the section of the river from the Brandach Bridge to its mouth at the Inn. Initial samples have already shown elevated germ counts, leading Health Director Theresa Geley to describe the potential bacterial contamination as a serious matter.