Assessment of environmental risks to the Voronezh Oblast public health resulted from contamination of drinking water sources

The relevance of research is particularly high for the Central Black Earth Region due to the high population density and the presence of numerous dispersed sources of environmental risk with a chemical type of impact on natural waters. People are forced to use water that does not meet health standards for drinking purposes, which poses a serious threat to their health. The article presents the results of calculating the non-carcinogenic risk from exposure of the body to priority chemicals (iron, manganese, nitrates) contained in the drinking water supply sources of the region, based on average annual concentrations at 174 monitoring points of control (m.t.c.) of the distribution network in settlements Voronezh Oblast. Methods. As a methodological basis for assessing environmental risks, the regulatory document R.2.1.10.1920–04 “Guidelines for assessing the risk to public health when exposed to chemicals that pollute the environment” was used. Results. According to the results of the study, it was revealed that nitrates remain the dominant indicator of drinking water pollution in the region. Calculations showed that in 9 settlements of 7 districts of the Oblast and the city of Voronezh (19 m.t.s. out of 174), the quantitative value of the non-carcinogenic risk poses an objective threat to the health of both children and adults living in these territories. The practical significance of the work is determined by the possibility of using the results of the study to improve regional water policy and increase the environmental safety and comfort of water use in the region.