Water disaster in Küblis: 900 residents have to do without a shower!

Water disaster in Küblis: 900 residents have to do without a shower!

In Küblis in Graubünden, around 900 residents have had to make do without clean drinking and shower water for a week. The reason for this unpleasant situation is contamination of the water with mineral oil, which required immediate action after an alarm was reported. The water supply was interrupted as a precautionary measure after a chemical smell was detected in a supply pipe. Four delivery points were quickly set up for the population to obtain fresh water from. At the moment, people are forced to shower in schools or with relatives and acquaintances, which causes dissatisfaction among many.

Well master Simon Bühler, who normally checks the water four times a year, has been taking dozens of measurements since the incident to keep the situation under control. Ueli Wehrli, the well master at Aquagrischa Klosters, reports on intensive flushing work on the affected pipes. The situation is tense because farmers need 4,000 liters of water every day for their animals, which currently has to be delivered by truck.

Potential of challenges

Mayor Thomas Gort warns that the situation could worsen further if the contamination is not remedied as quickly as possible. In the worst case, water pipes would even have to be replaced, which would be extremely time-consuming and costly. The Graubünden cantonal police have already started the investigation and the cause of the incident is being sought together with the Office for Nature and Environment and the public prosecutor's office. On Friday it became known that mineral oil from the municipality of Klosters got into the spring, but the exact amount is still unclear.

The quality of drinking water in Switzerland is generally considered to be high, and the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV) sets strict legal regulations on this. These stipulate, among other things, that water suppliers and owners of public buildings must carry out regular inspections. Drinking water is the most strictly monitored foodstuff in Switzerland, as confirmed by the BLV. A report from 2022-2024 shows that Switzerland is on track and that both drinking water quality and water supply are secured - apart from exceptional cases like in Küblis.

What's ahead?

The population is eagerly awaiting an information event scheduled for December 19th in Küblis to clarify the further development of the situation. It remains to be hoped that the authority will quickly find success in resolving the problems. In the meantime, residents must cope with the current circumstances and hope for future solutions.

For more information, those interested can read the reports from Nah, Watson and BLV consult.