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[VD08] Drinking water quality
Impacts

Key message
Neutral

In 2023, drinking water monitoring was carried out in supply zones (water supply systems) that supply 50 or more persons (92.3% of the population). Large, medium and some of small supply zones that supply more than 500 (87.7%) inhabitants, generally have adequate drinking water quality. The smallest supply zones that supply 50-500 inhabitants are the least regulated, in comparison to larger due to the fecal contamination, as some with karst water resources. The results of chemical analysis exceeded limit value of the pesticide desethyl-atrazine, bentazone and chemical parameter lead and iron. In the period 2004-2023, the quality of drinking water has improved, mainly due to the nitrates and pesticides.

Charts

Figure VD08-1: Proportion of non-compliant samples due to faecal contamination (the presence of E. coli), by size classes of drinking water supply zone, 2004-2023 (check monitoring - Group A parameters)
Sources:

Monitoring pitne vode. Porocilo o pitni vodi v Republiki Sloveniji (IVZ, 2005-2008) in Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode (ZZV MB, 2009-2013; NLOZH, 2014-2024).

Note:

1- Due to changes in sampling methodology - a different number of samples in each of the years in the size range of 50-500 inhabitants is not possible to estimate the trend for small supply zone, 2004-2023.

2- For smaller supply zone (50-500 inhabitants) were large differences in the number of samples taken for check monitoring, in individual years: in 2004-2005 were 4-5 samples, in 2006-2009 one sample, in 2010 2 samples; smaller supply zone with 50-500 inhabitant contribute the majority of non-compliant samples for E. coli.

Show data
THE SMALLEST (50-500)[%] SMALL (501-1.000)[%] TOTAL SMALL (50-1.000)[%] MEDIUM (1.001-10.000)[%] LARGE (>10.000)[%] total[%]
2004 33.20 12.90 29 6.70 2.60 19
2005 32 12.20 28 5.80 1.70 18.40
2006 30.80 11.20 24.10 4.60 0.40 10.30
2007 30.90 12.10 24.50 5.30 2.10 10.90
2008 34.40 7.90 24.60 4.40 0.70 10.30
2009 26.30 7.60 19.30 4.30 1.20 8.50
2010 24.30 6.60 18.90 3.70 0.50 9
2011 20.40 3.40 16 1 0.80 7.60
2012 15.70 2.80 12.30 1.80 0.40 6.70
2013 10.40 2.80 8.60 1.30 0.40 4.30
2014 10.40 1.50 7.90 1.10 0.20 3.70
2015 7.60 2 5.80 1.10 0.20 3
2016 7.30 1.30 5.70 1.70 0.10 3.10
2017 6.80 1.10 5.40 0.60 0.10 2.80
2018 5.20 0.80 4.10 0.80 0 2.10
2019 4.50 0 3.40 0.50 0.10 1.70
2020 5.60 0.40 4.60 0.80 0.10 2.60
2021 4.10 0.40 3.40 0 0 1.80
2022 5.40 1.10 4.60 0.60 0.20 2.60
2023 4.90 0.40 4 0.60 0.20 2.30
Figure VD08-2: Proportion of non-compliant samples due to faecal contamination (the presence of E. coli) by size classes of drinking water supply zone and by public health administrative areas, 2023 (check monitoring - Group A parameters)
Sources:

Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode 2023 (NLZOH, 2024). (2025)

Show data
THE SMALLEST (50-500)[%] SMALL (501-1.000)[%] TOTAL SMALL (50-1.000)[%] MEDIUM (1.001-10.000)[%] LARGE (>10.000)[%] total[%]
Slovenija 4.90 0.40 4 0.60 0.20 2.30
Zasavska 8.30 0 5.60 3.10 0 4.80
Savinjska 4 2.60 3.70 0 0 1.90
Primorsko-notranjska 7.50 0 7.50 0 0 3.10
Posavska 5.20 0 4.20 0 0 2.90
Pomurska 5.70 0 4.40 0 0 1.80
Podravska 9.20 0 8.70 3.30 0 3.60
Osrednjeslovenska 5 0 3.80 0 0 1.50
Obalno-kraška 31.30 0 26.30 0 0 5.70
Koroška 0 0 0 0 0 0
JV Slovenija 2.30 0 1.90 0 0 0.90
Goriška 4.50 0 3.70 0 0 2.80
Gorenjska 1.90 0 1.60 0 2.90 1.60
Figure VD08-3: Non-compliant samples due to E. coli, by size classes of drinking water supply areas Slovenia, 2023
Sources:

Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode za leto 2023. Nacionalni laboratorij za zdravje, okolje in hrano (NLZOH), 2024; podlage Agencija RS za okolje, GURS; Obdelava: Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje (NIJZ), 2024

Show data
Figure VD08-4: Proportion of non-compliant samples due to chemical parameters, by size classes of supply zones, 2004-2023 (audit monitoring - Group B parametersPart B of the Drinking Water Regulation)
Sources:

IVZ RS, 2005 - 2008; ZZV MB, 2009-2013; NLZOH, 2014-2024 (2025)

Note:

In 2023, on the small supply zone audit monitoring are carried out in the supply areas with 501 - 1000 inhabitants and also in the supply areas with 50-500 but only for 90 supply zones (10,5 %).

On supply areas with 50-500 inhabitants audit monitoring carried out only in 5-10% of supply areas in the 2006-2010 period - each year on the other, and at 10 % in 2014-2016.

In the years 2004-2005 and 2011-2013 and 2017-2019 audit monitoring in supply zones with 50-500 inhabitants are not carried out.

Show data
SMALL (50-1.000)[%] MEDIUM (1.001-10.000)[%] LARGE (>10.000)[%] total[%]
2004 10.60 2.40 7.10 5.60
2005 6.70 2.90 7.60 5.30
2006 6.50 1.70 2.50 3.30
2007 7.10 2.30 1.90 3.50
2008 0.60 1.10 6.80 2.80
2009 5.80 1.80 3 3.20
2010 9.20 0.40 7 5.10
2011 7.70 2 2.10 3.40
2012 4.80 3.40 2.80 3.60
2013 2.80 1.30 1.80 1.90
2014 7 2.70 0.90 3.80
2015 5.10 1.90 1.60 3.10
2016 3.90 1.20 3.60 2.90
2017 1.10 0.60 1.50 1
2018 0 1.80 1.40 1.30
2019 2.20 0 0 0.50
2020 0.80 0 0 0.40
2021 2.20 0.60 0.80 1
2022 1.10 0 0 0.30
2023 2.20 0 0 0.50
Figure VD08-5: Pesticides in drinking water, 2004-2023, by pesticide and the highest concentration, and the number of exposed inhabitants to the exceeded parametric value for pesticide is 0,10 µg/L)
Sources:

IVZ, 2005-2008; ZZV MB, 2009-2013; NLZOH, 2014-2024 (2025)

Show data
[µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l] [µg/l]
2004 0.21 0.29 0.26 183881
2005 0.16 0.98 0.32 0.21 0.57 0.49 0.93 151297
2006 0.18 1.40 0.42 1.40 36999
2007 0.30 0.48 0.30 0.21 0.55 53544
2008 0.20 0.40 0.30 0.14 0.12 0.66 100689
2009 0.15 0.37 0.26 0.23 0.65 0.66 98611
2010 0.19 0.14 0.16 0.41 0.11 0.56 183690
2011 0.21 0.12 0.42 0.13 0.12 83996
2012 0.19 0.25 0.21 0.16 105443
2013 0.21 0.58 0.64 21686
2014 0.21 0.29 0.27 0.51 6512
2015 0.22 0.36 0.27 0.52 33975
2016 0.10 0.14 29400
2017 0.14 0.65 0.13 288869
2018 0.37 0.12 1533
2019 0.15 1130
2020 0.11 0.20 1230
2021 0.10 0.12 0.80 28780
2022 0.13 580
2023 0.45 0.14 680
Figure VD08-6: The number of exposed inhabitants to exceeded nitrate concentration in the period 2004-2023 (parametric value for nitrate in drinking water is 50 mg/L)
Sources:

15/1290 (13/05/2015)

Note:

Number of inhabitants refers to the supply zone in which nitrates have been exceeded in drinking water.

Show data

Table representig the data used in the graph.

Figure VD08-7: Nitrate concentration in drinking water, 2022
Figure VD08-8: Exceeded values for chemical parameters in drinking water in 2023

Methodology

Other sources and literature

  • Agenda 2030, 2015. Spremenimo svet: Agenda za trajnostni razvoj do leta 2030. Organizacija Združenih narodov, 2015.
  • IVZ RS, 2005. Monitoring pitne vode 2004: Poročilo o pitni vodi v Republiki Sloveniji. Inštitut za varovanje zdravja Republike Slovenije. Ljubljana, maj 2005.
  • IVZ RS, 2006. Monitoring pitne vode 2005: Poročilo o pitni vodi v Republiki Sloveniji. Inštitut za varovanje zdravja Republike Slovenije, Ljubljana, maj 2006.
  • IVZ RS, 2007. Monitoring pitne vode 2006: Poročilo o pitni vodi v Republiki Sloveniji. Inštitut za varovanje zdravja Republike Slovenije. Ljubljana, maj 2007.
  • IVZ RS, 2008. Monitoring pitne vode 2007. Poročilo o pitni vodi v Republiki Sloveniji. Inštitut za varovanje zdravja Republike Slovenije, Ljubljana, julij 2008.
  • Ministrstvo za okolje in prostor. Operativni program oskrbe s pitno vodo za obdobje od 2015 do 2020, Ljubljana 2015.
  • NLZOH, 2014. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2013.
  • NLZOH, 2015. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2014.
  • NLZOH, 2016. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2015.
  • NLZOH, 2017. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2016.
  • NLZOH, 2018. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2017.
  • NLZOH, 2019. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2018.
  • NLZOH, 2020. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2019.
  • NLZOH, 2022. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2021.
  • NLZOH, 2023. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2022.
  • Pravilnik o pitni vodi (Uradni list RS, št. 19/04, 35/04, 26/06, 92/06, 25/09, 74/15 in 51/17).
  • SRS, 2017. Strategija razvoja Slovenije 2030. Ljubljana : Služba Vlade Republike Slovenije za razvoj in evropsko kohezijsko politiko, 2017.
  • Strategija Republike Slovenije za zdravje otrok in mladostnikov v povezavi z okoljem 2012–2020. Sprejela Vlada Republike Slovenije, s sklepom št. 02401-13/2010/5, z dne 1.12.2011.
  • Vlada RS, 2023. Operativni program oskrbe s pitno vodo 2022-2027.
  • ZZV MB, 2009. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2008.
  • ZZV MB, 2010. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2009.
  • ZZV MB, 2011. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2010.
  • ZZV MB, 2012. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2011.
  • ZZV MB, 2013. Zbirka podatkov o sistemih za oskrbo s pitno vodo in o skladnosti pitne vode, 2012.
  • Letopis NIJZ, 2024. Zdravstveni statistični letopis Slovenije. https://nijz.si/podatki/zdravstveni-statisticni-letopis-slovenije/.

Last modified
14.10.2025
Author(s)

Bonia Miljavac, Lara Ofentavsek.; National Institute of Public Health