Drinking water and pesticides: An official report blames the government

AFP/Archives – Ludovic MARIN The former Minister of Agriculture, Marc Fesneau, July 4, 2022.

The quality of drinking water is seriously compromised for more than ten million French people, and the government does absolutely nothing to change this. This is what is revealed in a confidential report of some 600 pages signed by three general inspections (agriculture, health, ecological transition), and published by the online media < strong>Context. 

“Without ambitious and targeted preventive measures, the recovery of water quality is illusory,” the inspectors immediately announced, clearly describing the policies to protect water catchments from pesticides as a “total failure.” Abandoned in a drawer since May, their report has not led to any concrete action, despite recommendations deemed urgent.

According to their research, since 1980, France has seen 12,500 drinking water catchments disappear, often due to diffuse pollution. Only 33,000 catchments remain, increasingly threatened by chemical residues, including some so-called “eternal” pollutants. The lack of systematic monitoring of many metabolites exacerbates the problem. 

“On this subject, the State is completely failing,” according to Alain Rousset, president of the Adour-Garonne committee. Communities, already under financial pressure, are forced to assume the increasing costs of decontamination treatments, directly impacting consumers' bills without really solving the problem.

While solutions seem to exist – such as banning pesticides in at-risk catchment areas or strengthening support for farmers towards sustainable practices – none have been adopted. Worse, the 2025 budget project plans to take 130 million euros from water agencies, considered essential to finance decontamination. For the Green Party MP Jean-Claude Raux, this choice is akin to a “cover-up” and a “deliberate endangerment” of public health.

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