To keep track of water quality in the region, authorities in Zurich have launched a new interactive map. The service will allow users to check for regular updates on the water supply and see how the quality of water changes between each council (Gemeinde).
According to the official website of the canton, the residents of Canton Zurich drink around 140 million cubic metres of water every year - the equivalent of drinking the entirety of the Greifensee every year. 40 percent of the region's drinking water is sourced from Lake Zurich, 40 percent is drawn from groundwater supplies and 20 percent comes from other natural sources.
While the canton's health department told Watson that the quality of drinking water in Zurich and the surrounding area is good, they hope the new interactive map will better inform local residents about any changes to the natural environment. “Our drinking water is a precious commodity. We have to take care of it and make sure that it is as free from contamination as possible”, authorities wrote on its website.
For example, through the new map, users will be able to see which areas are contaminated with the pesticide chlorothalonil. Despite being banned, the product can take years to break down and can cause “unwanted fungal growths.” These growths are carcinogenic and can heavily impact the water supply.
The data on the map will be updated in real-time as regular checks are made by the authorities so that sudden declines in drinking water quality can be communicated quickly. However, once again, it needs to be noted that while some areas will have worse water quality than others, tap water across the canton is safe to drink unless stated otherwise.
Want to see the map for yourself? Check out the official website (in German).