Water in Aschach is clean again

The reason for the contamination of the drinking water was pollution in the wells of the water supply system and in the supply network with the substance ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), which is usually added to petrol as an anti-knock agent. The contamination led to considerable impairment of Aschach’s drinking water for weeks. Above all, the smell was an impertinence for the consumer.

A continuous reduction in contamination has already been observed in recent weeks. The evaluation of the last two sample runs has now shown that the contamination has fallen well below 5 micrograms per liter and that the drinking water can be enjoyed again without hesitation in coordination with the drinking water supervisor and the medical officer.

Unfortunately, despite an intensive search for clues by the country’s water protection experts, no source has yet been found that could be held responsible for the water disaster. A dense network of sampling is currently maintained and the search for the cause of the contamination is to be expanded according to the authorities.

“Big burden is over”

“Being dependent on bottled water for weeks is a huge burden. I am very pleased that our experts were finally able to give the all-clear,” says Environment and Climate Minister Stefan Kaineder (Greens).

The mayor of the municipality of Aschach an der Steyr, which has a population of 2,300, Hubert Kern, is also relieved: “It was a very difficult few weeks for us, but I am all the more pleased that we can give our citizens unrestricted access to the water again”.