Does surface water treatment need special measures in the Czech Republic?

Abstract

Water quality in Czech watercourses has improved significantly in the last decade. A noteworthy problem still consists in continuous microbial pollution important particularly for use of surface water as a source to produce drinking water and for recreation. Pollution with specific organic substances e.g. polyhalogenated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and locally by heavy metals namely mercury, cadmium and lead still remains a problem. There are substantial differences in various regions depending on population density and the local industry structure, proportion of wastewater treated, agriculture and its intensity in pertinent rivers' watersheds. A subject of an emerging interests are potential health risks due to presence of organochlorines in chlorinated drinking water and rising concentration of endocrine disrupters in the main watercourses used for production of drinking water. © 2006 Springer.