SEKM - contaminated site register

SEKM (the System for Recording Contaminated Sites) is an information system set up by the Czech Ministry of the Environment to record, monitor and prioritise contaminated and potentially contaminated sites. It is structured according to European Environment Agency guidance, and its data are used as one part of the spatial analytical data under the Building Act.

How to read it

• Sites are sorted into three main categories. A: contamination is an existing, confirmed problem. P: contamination is only potential, information is missing and its severity must be shown by a survey or risk analysis. N: the site needs no intervention.
• Each category is further divided (A1-A3, P1-P4, N0-N2) under a Ministry of the Environment guideline.
• According to the CENIA agency, the inventory of contaminated sites (the NIKM 2 project) was completed for the whole of Czechia in December 2021.

What it means for a buyer

A record nearby does not mean the house is at risk. The site category, distance, the direction of groundwater flow and whether the house uses its own well all matter. For a category P site, the record alone proves nothing about pollution. If a contaminated site is close and the house has its own well, a water analysis by an accredited laboratory helps.

Frequently asked questions

Where can site details be found?

On the public portal sekm.cz a basic map of contaminated sites can be viewed without registration; full access requires registration. The municipality or the regional authority may have more information.

How does it differ from the pollution register?

SEKM records places where soil or water is or may be polluted. The Integrated Pollution Register holds annual reports by facilities on releases and transfers of pollutants. Planned operations nearby are more likely to show in the zoning plan.