Overview

• The Haut-Rhin prefecture has prohibited tap water consumption for drinking and baby formula preparation by sensitive individuals in 11 communes starting May 5.
• The contamination stems from historical use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams at Basel-Mulhouse Airport, mandated by ICAO regulations until 2017.
• PFAS levels in local water consistently exceed the regulatory limit of 0.1 µg/L, but no current health impacts have been identified among residents.
• Residents are advised against using filtration devices or unmonitored water sources like wells or rainwater due to unverified efficacy and safety concerns.
• Plans are underway to deploy mobile water treatment units and build permanent activated carbon stations by the end of 2025 to address the contamination.