An interdisciplinary perspective of the karst springs’ areas as drinking water potential: Perusal from Norteastern Slovenia

Abstract

Two karst water basins, water protection areas (WPA), the Ljubija and Rečica catchment areas, located in the north-east of Slovenia, were studied for one (COVID) year (January 2020-December 2020) to assess their freshwater quality risks facing the existing level of water protection regulations. Both groundwater (GW) and surface water (SW) were monitored twice a month in dry and wet periods to comply with European and national monitoring guidelines. For an interdisciplinary approach, an integrated indicators’ model was created to check the natural and human influences on the studied water sources. We related their water ecological conditions to the precipitation, hydro geographic and landscape characteristics of the WPAs. The Ljubija showed a low nitrate content and low fluctuations in other parameters, which declare a stable area with low human impact (the average nitrate content was 2.6 mg/l). Rečica water sources were more endangered. Their groundwater has been excluded from the drinking water supply due to organic contamination. The pollution was encouraged by the karst hydrogeological characteristics of the area. The average nitrate concentration was 6.0 mg/l. Based on the physic-chemical indicators of the water sources’ quality, we missed un upgraded monitoring regulation, especially for more vulnerable water sources as karst are.