Safety Assessment of Spring Water in the City of Vladimir

Introduction: In the context of developing a drinking water source registration system, special attention is paid to springs, which serve as both a vital resource and an indicator of the territory’s environmental well-being.

Objective: To evaluate safety of drinking water from springs in the city of Vladimir based on chemical composition analysis and health risk assessment.

Materials and Methods: In June 2025, we took water samples from urban springs, measured their physicochemical parameters, and assessed health risks in accordance with Russian Guidelines R 2.1.10.3968–23. Individual carcinogenic risk (CR) and total carcinogenic risk for the oral route of exposure (CRing) were calculated. The Capel-205 capillary electrophoresis system was used to determine the ion content; heavy metals were analyzed using Spectroscan MAX-G X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Potentiometry, conductometry, and titrimetry were applied to test other water sample parameters.

Results: Nitrate ion concentrations demonstrated 1.2 to 1.7-fold excess of maximum permissible limits. We detected elevated (up to 1.2 times) hardness values in some springs and fluoride deficiency in all springs under study. The water composition of some springs was noted for the presence of potential carcinogens (nickel) and toxicants (nitrate ions), resulting in unsatisfactory safety levels.

Conclusion: Evaluation of drinking water safety of Vladimir springs based on chemical testing and health risk assessment showed high nitrate ion and hardness levels. Water from certain springs poses alarming carcinogenic risk for adults due to the presence of nickel and exerts a general toxic effect on children due to the nitrate ion content.

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