The quality of tap water in a French region is said to no longer be sufficient for consumption. The information was leaked by a French newspaper.
Paris – France is actually one of the European countries where tap water is of high quality and can therefore be drunk without hesitation. However, this situation could soon change in at least one region. French media reports a private email from the director of the Regional Health Agency (ARS) in Occitania warning employees about poor water quality. There has been no official comment on the information yet.
“You have to prefer bottled water,” said the ARS director, according to information from the French newspaper Le Canard enchaîné in his email to employees, among other things. The newspaper claims to have had insight into the “confidential message”, but does not name a source in its publication on Wednesday (October 18). In the message, the director raises the alarm about drinking water in the French region of Occitania. The reason is so-called “perpetual chemicals” (polyfluorinated alkyl substances) and pesticide residues that are said to be in the pipes. Tap water can also be used in Germany be contaminated with substances harmful to health.
Private message leaked: Apparently tap water in the French region should no longer be consumed
The director of the ARS is said to have sent the warning to his managers in an email on September 23rd. “The more we look, the more we will find,” he said regarding pollutants in tap water. Loud Le Canard enchaîné The director therefore suggests that tap water “should no longer be consumed, but should only be used for everything else”. You should prefer bottled water instead.
Polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are loud definition from the Justus-Giebig University of Giessen represent chemicals that are “extremely long-lasting and cannot be broken down naturally”. The substances are toxic to both humans and the environment and are now found “almost everywhere”. “Some PFAS are known to have chronic toxic effects even at low concentrations; for example, they damage the immune system and thyroid function,” explains Prof. Dr. Hubertus Brunn in a publication published at the beginning of April in the specialist magazine “Environmental Sciences Europe“ had appeared. It also promotes the development of cancer.
Is France’s first region struggling with heavily contaminated tap water? This is the PFAS status in Europe
According to the professor, the chemicals enter the human body primarily through drinking water. But how do PFAS find their way into the environment? PFAS are considered extremely practical substances in industry and for everyday products. They can be found in all kinds of products, from food packaging to carpets and furniture. The list is seemingly endless. However, once released into the environment, PFAS are almost impossible to remove.
How Le Canard enchaîné further reported that the ARS director in Occitania advised against water controls. These would be mandatory from 2026. Until that happens, the director would apparently advise “not doing” the checks. However, the information from the private message has not yet been officially confirmed.
It is no secret in France either that pollutants in tap water are becoming more and more ubiquitous throughout Europe. The organization only presented in May of this year “Generations Futures” After corresponding analyses, a criminal complaint was filed against X in France for “environmental damage” and denounced that a large part of the European population was now exposed to PFAS. According to environmental organizations, the amount of chemicals in Germany is also a major problem. “The German government must now also take responsibility and campaign for the ban on PFAS. “Germany is by far the largest chemical location in Europe,” he writes Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany on his website. (nz)
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