Workshop to identify potentials of mineral water springs in the Karawanken

KaraWAT
Fotocredit: FH Kärnten

Mineral waters of the Karawanken UNESCO Global Geopark are valuable natural assets with high potential for valorization. In a recent stakeholder workshop, special features including educational and touristic potential, as well as ideas for the valorization of 10 selected mineral water springs in the Eisenkappel pilot area, were collected in the frame of the INTERREG VA-SIAT project KaraWAT.

Many stakeholders participated in the April workshop, including 20 local and regional authorities, KaraWAT project partner representatives, and owners of mineral water springs in the municipality of Eisenkappel. The workshop was held at the Vivea Health resort in Eisenkappel, Austria. The Carinthia-Lithion Spring, which is captured by the Vivea Health resort and used as healing water, is the only remaining mineral spring that is used commercially in the area. The resort is an important regional player providing essential income to the peripheral border region. The lowly mineralized Jakob Spring, which is fed by underground water from the Hochobir mountain, is used by three municipalities for drinking water. In the past, a number of mineral water springs in the municipality were used commercially (bottled water, spa) and their healing properties were known in distant regions of Europe and beyond. Today, the potential of valorization of the majority of mineral water springs remains unused. Based on the results of the workshop and the interest of the spring owners to valorize their springs, concepts for the valorization of three selected springs are being developed in the course of the project KaraWAT.