Chata Prašivá in the Beskids manages rainwater in an environmentally friendly way

Vyšní Lhoty - The Prašivá mountain lodge in the Beskids is managing rainwater ecologically. Most of the water that falls on the roofs of the building is collected by the operators into drainage pits. They then use it for flushing in the newly built ecological toilets. Martin Stiller, one of the operators of the lodge built in 1921, told ČTK today. In the past, the operators have also invested in ecology. For example, they reconstructed the water treatment plant. The quality of the water in the wells is monitored by a computer. All investments are part of the renovation of the building. Work started in 2015 and has so far cost around three million crowns.

According to Stiller, there is usually a problem with the availability of drinking water in higher locations. "Moreover, we found that we use 60 to 70 percent of the water just for flushing. Therefore, we decided to change the situation," he stated. They utilized three old pits into which they channeled rainwater from two-thirds of the lodge's roofs and from the newly built toilets. The operators built those for 750,000 crowns.

In case of unfavorable rainy conditions, they can fill the pits with utility water, which is more accessible than drinking water.

The lodge is owned by the Czech Tourist Club. The renovation work on the lodge has been ongoing for five years. For example, a lookout tower has already been made accessible, and the historic Valeček Hall has been repaired. The children's playground has also been modernized, and bike racks have been added. The operators are planning further modifications, such as expanding the technical facilities of the lodge. "The kitchen is tiny and we have no storage space," Stiller said previously. They would like to have all the work completed by 2021 when the lodge will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Stiller estimates that technically the reconstruction is now three-quarters complete. "But financially, not even halfway. We still have significant investments ahead of us. For example, insulation of the outer walls and replacement of the shingles on the cladding," he said. He plans this investment for next year.

Last year, the lodge operators built a new electricity connection to the wells, which they also connected with a computer system. The computers monitor the quality of the water and the water level in the wells.