Today i waterways and Swiss lakes are among the cleanest in the worldbut until the mid -twentieth century the situation was very different. Until the 1950s, in fact, domestic, industrial and even toxic substances were downloaded directly to rivers and lakeswith disastrous consequences for the ecosystem and public health. Environmental degradation was evident: turbid waters, floating foam, banks covered with waste and dead fish.
In the 1960s less than 20% of the Swiss population It was connected to purification plants. Swimming in lakes and rivers was risky and often prohibited, since they accidentally ingest water could cause intestinal infections and other diseases. The situation became even more dramatic in 1963, when A cheering epidemic hit the tourist resort of Zermattcausing over 450 contagions and three victims. This event pushed the federal government and cantons to invest in the construction of a waste water treatment system.
Starting from the 70s, the growing environmental awareness of the population has led to a decisive turning point. In 1967 a popular initiative asked for concrete measures for water protection and in 1971 the purification of waste water became a legal obligation.
By 2040 there will be over 100 plants to purify the waters of pesticides, pharmaceutical residues and hormones
Progress was quick: in 2005 97% of the population was already connected to a water treatment system, and today Switzerland counts over 800 purification plants and a sewage network of over 130,000 kilometers. The investment for this transformation was enormous, with overall costs of about 50 billion Swiss francs, of which 5.3 billion allocated by the Federal Government.
Thanks to these policies, today in many Swiss cities it is possible to dive into the rivers and lakes without worries. This phenomenon often amazes tourists, who see rare luxury in the world in urban waterways. In addition, Switzerland is one of the few countries where tap water it is of quality so high that it can be drunk without problems.
However, new challenges await the country. Substances like pesticides, pharmaceutical residues and hormonesknown as micropollunts, they are threatening aquatic fauna, causing damage to organs and sterility in fish. To counteract this problem, Switzerland has launched an ambitious plan for Equip 100 advanced technologies purification plants capable of eliminating up to 80% of these substances by 2040. The cost of the operation is high, about a billion francs, but the nation seems determined to preserve the quality of its waters for future generations.
