Unternavigation

Groundwater quality

Groundwater does not naturally contain any persistent synthetic substances. Nitrate and residues of plant protection products have a long-lasting adverse impact on groundwater quality. Along watercourses, micropollutants from industry, commerce and households are also found in groundwater.

Nitrate

Nitrate exceeds the limit value of 25 mg/l in groundwater at almost 15% of monitoring sites across Switzerland. In areas where arable farming is predominant, concentrations are above the limit at 50% of monitoring sites.

Pesticides

Pesticides exceed the limit value of 0.1 micrograms per litre at around 2% of monitoring sites every year. In addition, pesticide degradation products (known as metabolites) occur in concentrations of more than 0.1 micrograms per litre at one in three groundwater monitoring sites across Switzerland. Metabolites significantly impair the quality of groundwater, particularly on the Swiss Plateau.

Volatile organic compounds

Volatile halogenated hydrocarbons are the most frequently detected volatile organic compounds (VOC) in groundwater, exceeding the limit value at 3% of monitoring sites. In contrast, monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAH) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are only rarely found.

Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals occur in groundwater at around 15% of the monitoring sites throughout Switzerland. Groundwater resources in unconsolidated aquifers next to rivers are the most affected. The pharmaceuticals enter rivers and streams via sewers and sewage treatment plants, and finally infiltrate into groundwater.

Perfluorinated chemicals

Residues of perfluorinated chemicals occur primarily at groundwater monitoring sites near rivers. The discharge of treated or untreated wastewater into surface waters and the subsequent infiltration of these waters into groundwater appear to be the major source of PFC in Swiss groundwaters.