Czech villages face water shortages as drought deepens: Report

Communities across the Czech Republic are struggling with worsening water shortages as wells dry up and small streams disappear after years of increasingly severe drought, according to local media on Thursday.

In the village of Krsy in the Plzen Region, tankers are delivering drinking water daily to a reservoir above the village. Some private wells have already run dry, while others are close to empty, Radio Prag International.

Residents said they are cutting water use wherever possible, taking shorter showers, reducing garden watering and abandoning plans to fill swimming pools.

Authorities are urging households to connect to public water networks where available.

The shortages are also putting pressure on tourist destinations. In Horni Becva, in the Beskydy Mountains, the population doubles during the summer holidays. The municipality's two wells have been operating close to their limits, with firefighters called in to deliver water.

Hotels with wellness facilities are among the largest users, prompting local officials to ask businesses to reduce consumption.

Officials hope conditions will improve when the tourist season ends and autumn rains arrive.