According to a new study conducted by the Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology at the MedUni Vienna, water from the holy springs in Austria has been found to be contaminated with fecal matter and nitrates and has been classified as not safe for drinking. Water used in church and hospital chapel fonts was also discovered to contain excessive amounts of bacteria.  Microbiologist Alexander Kirschner is scheduled to present the findings at the Vienna Hygiene Further Education Days.

Researchers analyzed water quality in 21 holy springs in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland, all similar to those that attract a large number of visitors in Lourdes. They also analyzed 18 fonts in churches and hospital chapels in Vienna during different times of the year.

What the results of analysis found was that only 14 percent of the water samples from holy sources contained no fecal matter and none of the springs that were tested could be deemed safe sources of drinking water. In addition to fecal matter, the springs also contained E coli bacteria, enterococci and Campylobacter, known to cause inflammatory diarrhea. Many of the springs tested were also contaminated with nitrates from agriculture as well.

“We need to warn people against drinking from these sources,” says Kirschner. He recommends that responsible authorities and priests put up warning signs and display the history of the springs at each site.

The holy water investigated during the study showed high levels of bacteria throughout.

“In one milliliter, up to 62 million cultivatable bacteria were detected. The more well-attended the church, the more bacteria were found. This may represent a problem that has hitherto been underestimated, especially in hospitals, since there a lot of people with weakened immune systems there,” Kirschner adds.

The study on holy springs is the first of its kind, but there have been three prior studies on font water, one which was conducted by Spanish researcher Seville. Kirschner says the results from all of these studies are similar.

There are some ideas and potential solutions for more hygienic use of font water and holy springs, including the use of a holy water dispenser that was invented by an Italian priest a few years ago. Prior studies have also found that a higher salt content, about 20 percent or higher, can halt the proliferation of bacteria.

Kirschner say, “The addition of salt cannot be regarded as a reliable means of disinfection, however.” He instead recommends replacing the holy water in churches on a regular basis. In the case of holy springs, he says local authorities should check the water quality , along with suitable structural measures if the spring is used as a source of drinking water.