Authorities in the Peloponnesian prefecture of Argolida, where thousands of residents have been drinking bottled water since July due to the high level of toxic nitrates in their tap water, are seeking approval to exploit the freshwater springs of Anavalos. But recent studies suggest that the Anavalos water too is far from pure.

The mayors of the two largest cities in the prefecture, Argos and Nafplion, have asked residents not to drink tap water or use it for cooking, as it has high nitrate levels. This is thought to be due to the widespread operation of water bores in the region, some of which descend some 400 meters underground. The lack of rainfall has aggravated the situation created by some 15,000 water bores.

Both towns have been drawing water from the nearby Lerna springs but these have a limited capacity, authorities say.

“Both towns need about 1,200 cubic meters of water per hour but these springs can produce no more than 300 cubic meters per hour,” Argos Mayor Vassilis Bouris told Kathimerini. As a result, the two towns are obliged to supplement supplies with water from old bores, the water of which has high nitrate levels. “We have no other choice,” Bouris added.

According to a study by the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (IGME) neither local water supplies nor water in nearby springs are suitable for human consumption. Nitrate levels in water from local water bores are far above the recommended safety level, according to Dionysis Maraveyias of IGME. On the other hand, water from the Anavalos springs cannot be used without undergoing purification, due to high levels of chloride.

Argolida is not the only region with toxic drinking water. In July a court ordered authorities in Oinofyta, north of Attica, to replace toxic tap water with a clean supply. The ruling came after tests on local water revealed traces of depleted chromium, which can be carcinogenic.