How Good is the Water Quality in Switzerland?

It happens that consumers in Switzerland turn on their tap and the tap water shows a lack of water quality. This article explores the reasons why this can happen and how good tap water is in Switzerland.

What speaks for using tap water?

✔ Most controlled foodstuff in Switzerland (limit values for drinking water)
✔ Water suppliers work to comply with all high requirements
✔ Generally, there is very good water quality from the tap

What speaks against immediate use of tap water?

✔ Uncertainty about contaminated, unhealthy drinking water due to pesticides and nitrates
✔ Uncertainty about the condition of the pipelines (e.g., corroded or lead pipes)
✔ Contaminated tap water due to faulty installations or outdated filter systems

3 tips for handling drinking water

1. Water suppliers test the sources and drinking water – but only up to the handover point in the building. The property owner is responsible for the quality inside the house.
2. Let the cold water run for a short while before using it. This flushes stagnant water out of the pipes.
3. Avoid additional household filters if possible. If used improperly, these can do more harm than good.

The average water consumption per person in Switzerland is around 170 liters per day. Drinking water is used daily for cooking, washing, and drinking. It must be hygienically flawless and must not endanger health or technical equipment.

Over 2000 water suppliers reliably deliver drinking water in Switzerland. Despite occasional discussions in the media about nitrates, pesticides, or germs, the water quality is generally very high. In many cases, the water can be used directly without complex treatment.

Should treatment nevertheless be necessary, procedures such as UV irradiation, chlorination, or filtration are used.

Often, the cause of poor water quality is not with the suppliers, but in the house's installation: old pipes, lead pipes, or improper filters can significantly impair the quality of tap water.

Test Your Well Water

Many homeowners rely on well water, which is generally considered particularly pure and clear. In fact, the soil layers through which the water seeps already act as an effective natural filter. Nevertheless, water from domestic wells often does not meet the requirements of the Drinking Water Ordinance. There are several reasons for this:

In many regions, pollutants enter the water cycle through agriculture, environmental pollution, or fertilizers. Defective filters or the infiltration of surface water can also cause contamination. Even the material of the well pipes can contribute to contamination.

✔ A well water test can quickly identify potential pollutants. Tests from umweltcheck.ch help to reliably determine important parameters – so you know whether your well water is drinkable. The clearly understandable analysis reports show at a glance whether your sample complies with the guidelines of the Drinking Water Ordinance.

Possible Reasons for Contaminated Well Water

• Natural occurrences of heavy metals in the soil layers
• Insufficient well cover
• Legacy contamination from industry (e.g., chemicals, oil, gasoline)
• Contaminated pumps, filters, or pipes
• Outdated well system (e.g., shaft wells)
• Unsuitable sampling points (hoses etc.)
• Extreme weather situations such as floods
• Lack of maintenance and inspection
• Outdated piping – possible heavy metal contamination

Chemical Analysis – An Advantage for Your Own Well!

Our laboratory offers the analysis of numerous chemical parameters such as nitrate, iron, or manganese. Nitrate, in particular, is increasingly in focus, as it enters the soil and groundwater through agricultural inputs. The contamination of groundwater significantly increases the effort required for treatment.

While iron and manganese are less harmful to health, they can cause technical problems. Visually, this is noticeable by brown or black deposits. Therefore, it is worthwhile to specifically investigate heavy metals and other critical substances.

Wells in Switzerland

In the city of Basel alone, there are around 200 public fountains. In Zurich, there are over 1,200. In addition, there are many private wells on agricultural or private properties.

While public drinking fountains are regularly checked by municipalities, the responsibility lies with private well owners. A regular water test provides certainty about heavy metals, bacteria, and other relevant substances.

A water test helps to assess the quality of your well water and, if necessary, to take timely measures.

Sources:

• Zurich Tourism – Public Fountains
• Wikipedia – Basel Fountains
• Groundwater in Switzerland