Swiss groundwater shows record pesticide contamination in Seedorf municipality
New federal data reveal that Seedorf in the canton of Bern has the highest pesticide residue in Swiss groundwater, measuring 3.74 µg/L of chlorothalonil.
The Swiss government released detailed groundwater monitoring results, highlighting that Seedorf recorded a chlorothalonil concentration of 3.74 µg per litre in 2024. This level is nearly 40 times the legal limit of 0.1 µg/L. Chlorothalonil, a fungicide, has been prohibited in Switzerland since 2020. The findings indicate that pesticide and degradation-product pollution remains a significant issue for the country's aquifers.
Why it matters
High pesticide levels in drinking-water sources pose risks to public health and signal gaps in environmental regulation.
In this story
pesticide contaminationgroundwaterchlorothalonilSwiss municipalitiesenvironmental monitoringagricultural chemicalswater qualityregulatory limit
