Everyone from the wells from which Janské Lázně draws its warm mineral water is currently undergoing reconstruction. The aim of the stabilization work, which is being carried out by a specialist company based on a tender procedure, is primarily to preserve the operation of the existing Large Swimming Pool in the Spa House in its original historical form in the form of a "pool" and to ensure sufficient mineral water for the needs of the Spa in the future.
"Our guests can enjoy spa well-being with all the trimmings, because none of the planned professional work affects the supply of mineral water for the needs of clients," said marketing specialist Zuzana Pichlová. She added that only the Large Pool in the Spa House is temporarily out of operation and mineral water is currently being pumped in sufficient quantities into all other spa pools, whirlpools and hydrotherapy baths. "As usual, we transport thermal water via a mineral water pipeline to the water reservoir at the Vesna Children's Hospital, where it is used to fill the swimming pool with a lifting bottom."
The well design was already "calling" for renewal
The natural healing sources of warm mineral water in Janské Lázně have been known according to chronicles for more than 1000 years and are formed by two collection wells – Janský pramen with a well depth of 54 meters and Černý pramen with a well depth of 25 meters. Both are declared natural healing sources by the Czech Inspectorate of Spas and Springs and the water from them is used to treat spa clients. The wells were built in 1956 and have been operating in an unchanged form since then. "The design of the wells corresponds to the time of their construction and the current condition has already required stabilization intervention and renovation of the underground well structures," said technical manager Petr Janovec and assured: "Maintenance of wells is our obligation and follows from the relevant Spa Act. Sooner or later, such measures will affect every underground mineral water source whose technical condition reaches the limit of its useful life."
The large pool is a purely natural reservoir
The main spring that provides mineral water for the treatment of spa guests is the Janský spring, which is located at the bottom of today's Large Pool in the Spa House with a free connection of the retained water to the subsoil and the surroundings of its own well. "The pool in which hydrotherapy takes place is therefore a purely natural reservoir with minimal thermal water treatment to maintain its purity. Thanks to this, it has the status of a "pool" - this term is used for reservoirs with natural drainage into the subsoil in sacred buildings," explained Petr Janovec. The water level in the pool is raised by the pressure of the water gushing from a natural healing source. The same water, using pumping technology, also fills the water reservoirs and subsequently the hydrotherapy baths for spa guests.
In the past period, the spa had the well monitored regularly. "Using an automatic program that collects the necessary data on mineral water and the spring structure underground, it was determined that problems with the technical condition of the well structures could arise in the future," Petr Janovec explained the reason why the management of Janské Lázně decided to take preventive action, which made it necessary to temporarily close the Large Pool. "All other pools and baths are in full operation and spa guests can now fully enjoy all procedures without restrictions and draw on the healing power of natural mineral water," Zuzana Pichlová assured.
Monitoring was followed by a detailed survey
The monitoring of the medicinal resource was followed by a detailed survey carried out by the specialist company Vodní zdroje Chrudim spol. s ro, represented by hydrogeologist RNDr. Daniel Smutek. "The survey consisted of a television inspection of both wells, logging measurements, zonal sampling and georadar exploration of the bottom of the Great Basin. Experts also examined analytical work with data for the period 1986 - 2017. Based on the results, we took our own stabilization measures," stated Petr Janovec, who added technical details: "The measures consist primarily of strengthening and restoring the existing steel casing of the well with a special PVC-based material and sealing the lateral leakage of thermal water into the non-cohesive rock environment, including the construction of a new monitoring well with a diameter of 220 mm and a depth of 7 meters, which will serve to collect data on the rock environment under the Spa House building. The work also includes monitoring the entire spring structure for a period of 12 months."
It will be finished in the summer
The work has already begun with the installation of monitoring equipment with detailed collection of measured data and is being carried out by the specialist company Vodní zdroje Chrudim sro, which won the tender. In June this year, the actual rehabilitation work on the Janský pramen well construction will take place. "If everything goes according to the experts' expectations, the tense - swollen water level in the Large Pool in the Spa House should then return and it should be included in normal spa operations. We expect this to happen in the summer months of this year," said Petr Janovec.
The stabilization of the natural medicinal resource will cost the Janské Lázně spa 750 thousand CZK (excluding VAT). Janské Lázně paid 250 thousand CZK for the survey, which took place last year, and the estimated costs for remediation and monitoring are 500 thousand CZK.
Zdenka Hanyšová Whole
