“When it comes to drinking water, inaction is irresponsible and culpable for generations to come” | EUROtoday

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HASWhen scientific warnings in regards to the high quality of ingesting water are rising, the federal government is sending a worrying sign: water safety can wait. On January 13, the Prime Minister introduced a normal moratorium on water coverage. [le 13 janvier, sur X]suspending all present regulatory developments pending a future agricultural emergency legislation. This is a political alternative that deserves to be questioned because it straight and worryingly includes public well being and the way forward for future generations.

Scientific information on soil, water and air air pollution and their penalties on well being are accumulating and are actually unambiguous. In 2023, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) confirmed that metabolites of chlorothalonil, a pesticide banned in 2019 for its carcinogenic dangers, have been detected in additional than half of water supposed for consumption. In Normandy, the concentrations on the faucet of this molecule, but in addition of chloridazone, a herbicide which can be banned, each far exceeded the really useful well being values.

Read additionally | Article reserved for our subscribers A brand new interactive map lets you know the pollution current within the ingesting water distributed to every deal with

Faced with these huge overruns, the response of the authorities raises questions: the overall directorate of well being has licensed the distribution of this water, posing a well being danger whose magnitude shouldn’t be measurable because of lack of enough, dependable and unbiased information and consideration of cocktail results. If this water stays compliant, it isn’t as a result of air pollution has decreased, however as a result of the requirements have been relaxed after an opinion from ANSES in 2024: the metabolite R471811 of chlorothalonil has been reclassified and the standard restrict raised. The customary has thus been adjusted to the contamination.

The restrict of 0.1 microgram per liter (µg/l) for every pesticide detected in ingesting water is a technical and regulatory alternative and never a well being threshold primarily based on data of its results on well being. The instance of chlorpyrifos, an insecticide banned for its neurotoxicity, is enlightening: research present that, throughout being pregnant, publicity to very low doses is related to a drop within the intelligence quotient in addition to reminiscence and language issues in youngsters uncovered in utero.

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https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2026/02/11/en-matiere-d-eau-potable-l-inaction-est-irresponsable-et-coupable-pour-les-generations-a-venir_6666250_3232.html