The struggle with drought continues

The amendment to the Water Act promises change. Although this summer has been the rainiest in the last ten years, the Czech Republic still struggles with water shortages.

Czechia continues to suffer from drought. This year, the country experienced its sixth above-average warm year in a row. Therefore, measures had to be taken. Due to the persistent drought, there are still places where there is a ban on pumping water, mainly in the northwest of the country.

Data from the Ministry of the Environment also describe the problems the Czech Republic face. For example, data show that one million ha of wetlands have disappeared in the last hundred years, local rivers have shrunk by almost a third and the area of ponds has decreased by 70 percent since the 17th century.

The amendment to the Water Act, which the Chamber of Deputies has started discussing, supposed to alleviate the problem of drought. Among others, the amendment should introduce an obligation for new buildings to capture or absorb rainwater. According to hydrologists, this is only a step in the right direction. Nowadays, the rain water usually ends up in the sewers.