Swiss government accused of lacking will to protect groundwater

Swiss groundwater quality is being compromised by lax supervision, a parliamentary committee has warned. © Keystone / Gaetan Bally

The Swiss authorities have been censured for failing to implement measures that are designed to protect the country’s groundwater.

The parliamentary Audit Committee of the House of representatives said on Thursday that only CHF8 million ($8.4 million) out of a possible CHF60 million in available funds has so far been spent on water protection. The number of projects has been stuck at less than 30 over the last decade.

Measures to combat pollution from agriculture were judged only “partially useful” and fell below the Commission’s expectations.

The Federal Office for the Environment has in particular been urged to be more active and consistent in its approach to protecting groundwater.

Despite seeing a recent improvement in the quality of bathing water in lakes, Switzerland still has a problem with groundwater pollution form farming, studies have shown.

The Audit Commission has urged the government to create protected areas for groundwater, apply more consistent sanctions against polluters and to insist on better data from cantons.

Laws to protect groundwater in Switzerland, which were were enacted 25 years’ ago, have yet to be fully applied, the Commission said.

The government has been given a deadline of September 30 to respond to the criticisms.