Pesticides: drinking water contaminated with potentially dangerous molecules

Chlorothalonil was a pesticide used for 50 years before being banned in 2020 in France because it was probably carcinogenic. But micro-pollutants from its degradation are still present in the water. The national health security agency estimates that at least 34% of the water distributed does not comply with the regulations. A figure undoubtedly underestimated with a much higher level in agricultural regions. “This molecule worries us because there should be no pesticide residues in the water (…), pesticides pose a public health problem“, says Mickaël Derangeon, vice-president of Atlantic’Eau.

Energy-intensive depollution techniques

Studies are lacking on the dangerousness of molecules and their persistence in water. But a quality limit has been set. However, it is difficult to get rid of it. It would be expensive for communities and water authorities. Expensive and imperfect, depollution technologies are also very energy intensive.