D10: Impact of Contaminants - Hydromod
D10: Impact of Contaminants - Hydromod
D10: Impact of Contaminants - Hydromod
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Integrated Water Resource Management for Important Deep European Lakes and their Catchment Areas<br />
EUROLAKES<br />
<strong>D10</strong>: <strong>Impact</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Contaminants</strong><br />
Figure 10-7: Land use in the Catchment Area <strong>of</strong> Lake Geneva [CIPEL 2000a]<br />
Drinking Water Extraction and Sewage Treatment<br />
FP5_Contract No.: EVK1-CT1999-00004<br />
Version: 4.0<br />
Date: 25/07/01<br />
File: <strong>D10</strong>-vers.4.0.doc<br />
Page 73 <strong>of</strong> 136<br />
Lake Geneva is one <strong>of</strong> the greatest drinking water reservoirs in West Europe. After a<br />
simple treatment the water can be used as drinking water. At Lake Geneva there are 11<br />
<strong>of</strong> such treatment plants. Metals dissolved in the water and unnatural micro-pollutants<br />
are hardly or not removed by this treatment. Currently, in the middle <strong>of</strong> the lake the<br />
water comply with the legal requirements for drinking water concerning all measured<br />
substances like e.g. metals and pesticides but some <strong>of</strong> them could be proved in traces.<br />
Although the concentrations are low they are undesired [CIPEL 2000c]. In the catchment<br />
area <strong>of</strong> Lake Geneva 80 % <strong>of</strong> the population have a connection to a sewage<br />
treatment plant in 1991 and now in 2000 there are 90 % [CIPEL 2000d].<br />
Pollution Situation in Lake Geneva<br />
There are no systematic studies <strong>of</strong> occurrence <strong>of</strong> natural or synthetic estrogens in Switzerland.<br />
The environment can be influenced by the load <strong>of</strong> hormonal active substances.<br />
But today the degree <strong>of</strong> this influence can not be assessed because there are exist only<br />
a few investigations about and the complexity <strong>of</strong> the effect mechanisms. The inadequate<br />
knowledge about pollution in Switzerland and the possible disturbances associated<br />
with it point to a requirement for research. There is a need for research into identifying<br />
endocrine disrupters, characterisation <strong>of</strong> their effects and risk assessment<br />
[BÄTSCHER et al. 1999]. In Switzerland approximately 400 active substances are<br />
authorised in pesticides. For ground water the threshold value is 0.1 µg/l for the single<br />
substance res. 0.1 µg/l for a single pesticide [BUWAL a].<br />
At the monitoring <strong>of</strong> 12 flowing waters pesticides have been proved. The concentrations<br />
were low but in certain situations there is a risk for the water biology. Triazine contain-
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