There is a suspicion

Contaminated for weeks: mystery surrounding germs in the water

The problems with the drinking water in a village in the Vienna Woods began at the beginning of June.(Bild: EVELYN HRONEK)

The drinking water in a Vienna Woods community has been contaminated since the beginning of June. The cause was unknown for a long time, but now the possible culprit has been identified. 

"Boil the water for at least three minutes before consumption!" In a village in a Vienna Woods community, nobody can hear this sentence anymore. This is because the drinking water there has been regularly contaminated since June. An all-clear at the beginning of August was short-lived, and two weeks later, new measurements again revealed dangerous germs.

"We didn't know why ourselves"
However, investigating the cause proved to be extremely difficult. "We suspected that the elevated tank had become leaky and rainwater had leaked in," reports the deputy mayor responsible. The values eventually improved of their own accord. "But we didn't know why ourselves," says the local politician.

In order to solve the mystery, measurements were then taken at each house - with sometimes completely different results. "This led to the assumption that outside water was being fed in," says the local deputy.

Domestic wells and municipal water pipes
A local equestrian business quickly came under suspicion. This company is said to have connected the private well to the municipal water pipe, which may have allowed contaminated well water to enter the pipes. An expert is now to shed light on the matter, after which further steps will be considered.

In the meantime, the pipe network will be flushed and cleaned. The affected households have been informed in writing.