Swiss drinking water is contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’, research shows

Forever chemicals have been found in almost half of Swiss groundwater.

Samples were taken at more than 500 measuring stations. The National Groundwater Observatory (NAQUA) found that the potentially harmful chemical additives are widespread in Switzerland’s main drinking water resource.

However, Swiss limit values were only exceeded at one station, according to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).

Forever chemicals, or PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are a large group of human-made chemicals that are used in many products for their non-stick or stain repellent properties.

They earn their name thanks to the fact they don’t break down in the environment.

Harmful to health, PFAS have been linked to conditions like cancer, thyroid disease, and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

The chemicals can be ingested through water, food and even the air.

Although some forever chemicals are now banned in Switzerland, residues are still found in the environment.

Groundwater is fresh water that filters beneath the land’s surface, where it is held in porous rocks or sediment known as aquifers.

Groundwater is Switzerland's main drinking water source, providing 80 per cent of the country’s needs.

In 2021, FOEN and NAQUA set out to analyse Swiss groundwater samples for 26 types of PFAS. The results released on 12 September identified 13 types of PFAS across almost half of the measuring stations.

The highest concentrations were measured for PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), which has been largely banned in the country since 2011. This type of forever chemical poses the greatest risk to health. In the past, it was widely used as a protective coating for textiles such as carpets and leather.

Switzerland sets a safe limit of between 0.3