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If the drought persists even longer, groundwater and spring is scarce in many places. Nevertheless, the Swiss do not have to worry about drinking water. Water companies ensure that the precious raw material does not dry.
A young woman refreshes herself in a fountain. Due to the persistent drought, the first public wells are closed. Nevertheless, the water supply in Switzerland is not threatened. (Image: KEYSTONE / MELANIE DUCHENE)
(nda)
Public wells are closed, water courses desiccating must be recovered, the level of lakes sinks: dryness keeps Switzerland outstanding. Nevertheless, no problem of supply is to be feared. But this is not a coincidence.
The oldest water sources in Switzerland date back to the Bronze Age. The "castle of Europe" has about 2,400 sources of water. More than 1,500 lakes, rivers and water plans as well as many glaciers testify to the water richness of the country.
Since the late 1970s, drinking water consumption has decreased despite the increase in population. In 1977, it was 500 liters per capita per day, today it is still about 300 liters.
Worldwide, however, water will become scarce in the future, with declining quality. According to the WWF, more than 780 million people do not have access to drinking water
70 cubic meters of water for the pool
In times of drought, the consumption of 39, water increases by 30%. For example, in the second half of 2015, an additional 32 million cubic meters were consumed in Switzerland compared to 2014, about twice as much as Lake Davos. Therefore, good regional water supply planning is needed, writes the Federal Office of the Environment (FOEN).
The cantons delegate the supply contract to municipalities and mainly to independent organizations, for example in Waldstatt AR. According to the current publication of the community Ausserrhoder, water would have been scarce for 50 years without the hinterland Verbund Wasserorperation
.The local authority of Waldstatt is responsible for supply in village water. It provides drinking water to about 95% of the population. 70% of the water comes from its own sources and about 25% of the underground water from the municipality of Urnäsch. About 5% are provided by Herisau
The Waldstatt pool requires 70 cubic meters of water on peak days. "We always have more than enough drinking water for all needs," says Ernst Bischofberger, president of the Waldstatt Water Company
The Waldstatt company was founded in 1895 and has a mission to provide drinking water to the community. l & # 39; offer. With a water consumption of 170 liters per person per day, Waldstatt is economical.
"We have little industry in our community," says Bischofberger. However, the largest water collector, a company that produces printing inks, accounts for 12% of water consumption.
A cow drinks 150 liters of water a day
There are 230 springs in Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Some of them were put under protection more than 30 years ago. Farmer Köbi Mock also has his own source. On average, its operation consumes 5,000 liters of water a day. A single cow drinks 150 liters of water each day.
By building the barn in 1992, he created his own tank, says Mock. Nevertheless, water is not enough in a drought and it has to get water from the community.
To ensure the safety of drinking water in the region in the future, Verbund has acquired another source. Thus, clean water resources in the Appenzell hinterland could be massively increased at one time.
Bischofberger nevertheless appeals to consumers' reason. Even if wastewater is sent to the wastewater treatment plant after use, where it is purified and returned to the wild, it is important to save water.
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