The Mislinja aquifer is not included in regular national groundwater quality monitoring due to its low yield and the fact that it is not used for water supply. For this paper, nine sampling sites (private wells and boreholes) were used to analyse the basic physico-chemical parameters of the water, serving as a basis for a preliminary assessment of water quality. We found that the groundwater reflects anthropogenic influences, which are more pronounced in the vicinity of areas of concentrated agricultural activity and in the vicinity of large settlements. Most samples show elevated levels of nitrates and chlorides, while some samples also show elevated levels of other measured pollutants. According to the current Rules on drinking water, five out of nine samples are unsuitable or only conditionally suitable, which means that the groundwater in the Mislinja aquifer may already be too polluted to be considered as a possible backup source for water supply.
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