The quality of water shows how clean our environment is. And it depends on the water abstraction method, water use and wastewater treatment. 
Water quality is key to ensuring a healthy environment and good human health, which is why this year’s World Water Day theme is “Clean Water for a Healthy World”. The emphasis is on water as the source of life on Earth since quality water provides healthy ecosystems and consequently better human health.

 

 

Water wealth of Slovenia

 

 

According to Read More">European Environmental Agency data, Slovenia is rich in water resources; as regards water it is among the richest countries in Europe. On the territory of Slovenia every year some 34 billion m³ of water is running in rivers and streams. As regards the total amount of water per capita, Slovenia is among the richest countries in Europe as it is almost four times above the European average. Most of our rivers take their source in the Alpine or Sub-Alpine world and in the upper parts of these rivers water is still clear enough for drinking.

 

In addition to rivers and streams, the water wealth of Slovenia includes springs, natural and artificial lakes and a part of the Adriatic Sea.

 

 

Most water in Slovenia is pumped from underground sources in the Danube river basin

 

 

Most of the water for the public water supply is pumped from underground sources. In 2008, the share of these sources was 97%. Supply of drinking water from surface waters is decreasing, mainly due to its poor quality. So in 2008 it represented only 3% of total water supply.

 

In accordance with hydrographic characteristics of Slovenia, in 2008 by far the largest amount of water was pumped in the Danube river basin (87%); only 13% of water was pumped in the Adriatic Sea basin.

 

In 2008, households used 52% of abstracted water, business entities used 20% of abstracted water, 2% of water was supplied but not charged (i.e. waster from fire hydrants, water for cleaning streets, etc.) and 26% of water was lost within the waterworks network (leakage).

 

Compared to 2007 in 2008 the total length of the water supply network increased by 6%, while the number of public water supply connections went up by 5% (by 22,157) and reached 507,806.

 

 

Most wastewater produced by households

 

 

In 2008, 156 million m³ of wastewater was collected by the public sewerage system, most of which (45%) was produced by households, followed by industrial activities (11%), services (5%) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (less than 1%). Other water, which includes drainage water and hinterland water, represented 38% of all wastewater.

 

 

Wastewater was partly treated in treatment plants; in 2008 around 114 million m³ or 73% of all wastewater, which is about 1% less than in 2007. The remaining 41 million m³ of wastewater was not treated; in 2008 the amount of untreated water was 7% larger than a year before.

 

 

Almost all treated (99%) and 68% of untreated wastewater was discharged into surface waters. Less than 1% of treated and as much as 32% of untreated wastewater was discharged into groundwater.

 

 

Less than half of water used in Slovenia is treated

 

 

The share of abstracted, supplied and treated water differs greatly among EU Member States.

 

 

In Europe 55% of water for public consumption is abstracted from groundwater, which is usually of better quality than surface waters. According to Read More">Eurostat data, most water per capita per year is pumped in Italy (in 1999, 160 m³). According to data for the 2004–2007 period, more than 100 m³of water per capita per year was pumped in Ireland, Bulgaria, Spain and the United Kingdom. In Slovenia the amount was 83 m³. The least water was pumped in Latvia, only 6 m³ per capita per year.

 

 

Most of the water is used by households and various activities in Cyprus (94 m³ per capita per year), followed by Finland with 78 m³ and Italy with 74 m³ per capita per year. The least water per capita per year is used in Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Romania. In Slovenia the per capita per year water consumption is 61 m³.

 

 

EU Member States have different systems for treating wastewater. About 70% of the EU population is connected to secondary treatment plants. The share of people with this type of wastewater treatment is the highest in the Netherlands (99%), followed by Spain, Germany, Italy and Austria, where the share is 90%. On the other hand, Malta has the lowest share (only 13%) of people connected to treatment plants. In 2007 the share in Slovenia was 48%, meaning that our country is among countries with low shares of people connected to treatment plants since most of the people in Slovenia still use cesspools.

Slovenia Statistics Office