Drinking Water in Switzerland

The drinking water available in Switzerland meets extremely high quality standards. About 80 percent of the water comes from underground sources, while the remaining 20 percent is drawn from lakes. Through the establishment of groundwater protection zones, it is possible to distribute almost two-thirds of Swiss tap water without the need for treatment. This means you can drink water in Switzerland from any tap and enjoy it without any worries. Even the environmental footprint of tap water is better than that of bottled mineral water.

Interesting educational videos from SRF can be found here.

Did you know that drinking water in Switzerland is the most controlled food item?

Swiss water quality is regularly tested and meets the highest standards in terms of hygiene and safety. The World Health Organization WHO requires Switzerland to disclose all drinking water data every three years. The responsibility for creating these reports lies with the FSVO (Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office) and the FOEN (Federal Office for the Environment).

These two offices work closely with cantonal authorities and inform the public through the report "Implementation of the Protocol on Water and Health in Switzerland". This report also provides an overview of projects in the water and wastewater sector.

The Drinking Water Ordinance in Switzerland

This is enshrined in the federal Drinking Water Ordinance. Overall, the water quality in Switzerland meets some of the highest standards worldwide. Standards and limits are set that must be adhered to in order to ensure Swiss water quality in the future.

Drinking water in Switzerland must fall below the established microbiological limits. The physical and chemical parameters are just as defined, as are the tolerance limits for constituents and foreign substances. Therefore, any contamination in water is generally to be found in one's own domestic water system.

Drinking Water in Switzerland: The Ideal Thirst Quencher

For tap water, the maxim is to prepare it as naturally as possible, with as few interventions as possible regarding its composition.

Drinking water consists of spring water, groundwater, and lake water

Spring water is found especially in the Alpine region and the Jura, where it undergoes various natural purification processes. Water in the mountains seeps through various soil layers into the ground, where it is purified and absorbs valuable minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium. Groundwater seeps deep into the soil layers and absorbs minerals, which influences the intensity of the water's taste. Lake water is sourced from lake water plants. In lake basins, water from various inflows is stored for a long time and is therefore very soft. As it is exposed to influences from cities and the surrounding area, it requires multi-stage purification.

Swiss Drinking Water: As Valuable as Mineral Water

Tap water, depending on its composition from spring, groundwater, and lake water, contains varying amounts of minerals. Only about half of the bottled mineral water contains more minerals than inexpensive tap water. Since the human body can only absorb a certain amount of minerals, water with a high mineral content often offers little additional benefit.

★ On average, a liter of "tap water" in Switzerland costs 0.2 cents. This makes it a better value for money compared to any mineral water.