Overview
- The consumer group’s study, drawing on about 30 million ARS analyses from January 2023 to June 2025, finds a 10‑point drop in regulatory conformity since 2021.
- Most new non-conformities stem from newly tracked pesticide metabolites, with impacts now seen in medium-sized cities such as Reims, Beauvais, Caen, La Rochelle, Calais and Dunkerque.
- UFC-Que Choisir says tap water remains drinkable in the vast majority of cases, noting very low precautionary thresholds and the obligation for operators to restore compliance when limits are exceeded.
- Water bills have risen roughly 16% over the past 30 months as consumers shoulder depollution costs, prompting calls to enforce polluter-pays, raise the diffuse pollution levy, protect catchments and target aid to small communes.
- Conventional activated carbon struggles with the new metabolites and many PFAS, while membrane filtration is effective but costly, with PFAS checks set to become systematic from January 1, 2026.