Update of quality standards for the Water Protection Ordinance

In Swiss surface waters numerous micropollutants are regularly detected. To assess the water quality in Europe, most countries use effect-based values or quality standards, below which no adverse effects on aquatic organisms should occur. In Switzerland, these values are not legally binding yet. However, the Swiss Water Protection Ordinance was just revised.Es of now, effect-based quality criteria can be set for the main substances getting into the water. 

In recent years, the Ecotox Centre has already derived proposals for environmental quality standards for 83 micropollutants for the Federal Office of the Environment. All proposals are available on our website. The existing quality standards of 62 of these substances are now reviewed and updated if necessary. These proposals will then be legally binding under the new Water Protection Ordinance.