PFAS in surface waters in the Czech Republic

Per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS), a group of fluorinated compounds of anthropogenic origin, have been classified as a persistent organic substances of significant concern due to their chemical properties, widespread use in a number of industrial sectors, environmental spread, long term bioaccumulation potential, and resulting risk to human health. This article brings an overview of current knowledge about the occurrence of PFAS in the environment, mainly in surface, ground, and drinking water and about the methods of their removal from con-taminated water. Furthermore, the legislative requirements regarding PFAS at the level of the EU and Czech Republic are summarised here, including the list of compounds according to the Directive of the European Parliament and the Council 2020/2184 and the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and the Council 2008/105/EC.

From a drop to energy: assessing the hydropower potential of watercourses using results from the “Pico-Hydropower” project

The growing demand for decentralized renewable energy sources has sparked renewed interest in harnessing the hydropower potential of small watercourses. This paper presents a two-stage methodology developed within the Pico-Hydropower project (TA CR, No. TK04030223), aimed at identifying and evaluating suitable locations for micro-hydropower installations in the Czech Republic. The first stage involves a nationwide spatial assessment of theoretical hydro-power potential (HPP) across all fourth-order catchments, based on a combination of digital elevation models (DMR 5G), interpolated values of mean annual flow (Qa), and calculated average channel head (H). The resulting geodatabase enables prioritization of catchments with above-average potential and serves as input for more detailed analyses.

Interview with Mgr. Martin Pták, Director of the Water Protection Department at the Ministry of the Environment

How is Czech water management coping with droughts, floods, and new legislative requirements? Mgr. Martin Pták, Director of the Water Protection Department at the Ministry of the Environment, discusses the Ministry’s current priorities, his professional journey, the challenges facing Czech water management, European legislation, and the need for long-term adaptation to climate change. “Our priorities are clear,” he says. “Adaptation, prevention, and cooperation.”