Drinking water Klagenfurt

Small bacteria and their big impact

No germs were found in the elevated tanks: Search for the source continues.(Bild: Tom Leitner)

The "Krone" answers the three most important questions about contaminated drinking water in Carinthia's provincial capital.

Zero enterococci - that is the permitted limit in drinking water. A contamination of one to eleven "colony-forming units" (CFU) is enough to paralyze the drinking water supply of a large city like Klagenfurt. The values are far below the 559 CFU measured in the Sattnitz at the end of July. At that time, bathing was advised against.

Three minutes of boiling, in the kettle, freezing?

In principle, bacteria can only withstand a certain temperature range. Enterococci feel really at home between ten and 45 degrees; they are therefore extremely tough for germs. They can also easily withstand a good 30 minutes at 60 degrees. The tap water in Klagenfurt must therefore be brought to the boil. A burst of heat in the kettle is generally sufficient, but longer is certainly not harmful. Freezing has no effect at all - so be careful with ice cubes.

Why wait two days for results?
Even the most recent values are only ever a glimpse into the past. This is because the process by which bacterial cultures can be detected takes time. This only works via the growth of the germs. And that can take up to two days. This means that those responsible are always lagging behind the current situation.

How can our water be protected? 
The outdated pipeline network in Klagenfurt urgently needs to be replaced, as a lot has been done in terms of technology in the meantime. One particularly elegant solution to the problem is to irradiate the water with UV light at strategic points. Then even the tough enterococci or other bacteria no longer stand a chance.