The flood disaster in southern Styria also has consequences for the drinking water supply. Landslides cause damage to lines, the situation is particularly tense in Kitzeck. In the municipality of Straß alone, 80 households depend on bottled water.
These are images that are otherwise known from international TV news: A truck pulls up and Red Cross employees unload pallets of water bottles, which are distributed to the population in emergencies. This time, Straß in southern Styria is being supplied: around 200 people in 80 households that are not connected to the public water network cannot currently drink the water from their house wells, 65 houses are in the Lichendorf district alone Mayor Reinhold Hoeflechner. A depot was set up at the fire station on Saturday, where residents can fetch water. “The municipality will bear the costs for this as well as for the forthcoming investigation of the wells. Those affected have already been punished enough,” says Höflechner. It is hoped that the laboratory results will be available by the end of next week and will give the green light for the wells. Lichendorf is currently the biggest problem child in Styria when it comes to water supply, says Disaster Control Director Harald Eitner. But there are other failures in the communities, mostly isolated properties are affected. Due to the current storm and flood events, many people in the affected areas are faced with the ruins of their existence. Please help with your donation! For Carinthia: AT45 3900 0000 0591 9006 For Styria: AT15 2081 5000 4456 9523 Password: flood The donation is tax-deductible. Emergency supply necessary This is also confirmed by Stefan Theissl, the managing director of the Vulkanland water association. “Basically, the supply is secured, and the quality of the water is right.” In addition, the large transport line in Eastern Styria – built for times of crisis – was strengthened. But again and again landslides cause local damage and make an emergency supply necessary. One example are the Gnaser districts of Raning and Thien: Here the feeder line to an elevated tank broke, reports Mayor Gerhard Meixner. The container therefore has to be filled by hand by the fire brigade.Slope in Kitzeck is slippingThe situation in the supply area of the Leibnitzerfeld Water Association is also tense. According to managing director Franz Krainer, one of twelve wells (St. Georgen an der Stiefing) is out of order for safety reasons. There are currently no interruptions in the 340-kilometer-long, national network of lines, but in Kitzeck a landslide is threatening an important line. Parts of Kitzeck and St. Andrä-Höch would then be cut off. Krainer: “However, we have a concept for short-term emergency care. The special pipes for this have already been organized and they would be installed in about half a day.” This also reassures Kitzeck Mayor Josef Fischer, who spoke of stabilization of the affected slope on Wednesday afternoon. Hours later, the rain returned, reminding everyone that the all-clear was not in sight.
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