About the quality and safety of spring water in the Moscow region

Introduction. Spring water is in high demand among consumers for drinking and household purposes. High population density and industrial development cause environmental damage to the natural environment, including the groundwater of the Moscow region. At the same time, the incidence due to the water factor is increasing. The end user does not have reliable information about the quality and safety of water.Purpose. To study the quality and safety of spring water in the Moscow region according to sanitary and hygienic indicators.Materials and methods. The article presents the results of a large-scale two-stage (spring–summer 2024 and summer 2025) study of spring water in 14 districts of the Moscow region on sanitary, chemical, organoleptic, and microbiological indicators.Results. Hygienic characteristics of the condition of the nearby spring areas have been compiled, and potential contaminating objects have been identified. The percentage of springs in the Moscow region has been determined, the condition of which allows the end consumer using water without pretreatment. The main deviations in sanitary and hygienic indicators and the probable causes of their occurrence have been established. A list of priority indicators and standards recommended for monitoring and sanitary-epidemiological supervision of the quality and safety of spring water is proposed.Research limitations. The study has regional limitations (Moscow region).Conclusion. The trend in deterioration in the quality and safety of spring water during the spring and summer periods determines the need for measures for water protection and informing the public about the ways of using water for domestic and drinking use to minimize the risks of the spread of acute intestinal infections among the population.Compliance with ethical standards. Research does not require approval by an ethics committee.Contribution of the authors: Trukhina G.M. — research concept and design, analysis and statistical data processing, writing the text, compilation of the list of literature; Mikailova O.M., Drozd N.A. — editing, statistical data processing; Borisova N.A., Samotoina A.A. — collection and processing of material, writing the text, statistical data processing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.Funding. The study had no sponsorship.Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.Received: November 17, 2025 / Accepted: December 17, 2025 / Published: March 4, 2026