Scientists Call For Better Protection Of Swiss Groundwater
“Basically, groundwater is not doing so badly in Switzerland,” Christian Möck told Swiss public radio SRF on Thursday.
But as the summer of 2026 has demonstrated, increasingly frequent and extreme droughts are jeopardising the availability and quality of groundwater.
“Of course, this has extreme effects either locally or regionally, says Möck, head of the Swiss groundwater network at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). He is also a member of an expert group at the Academy of Sciences, which aims to raise awareness about groundwater.
Groundwater has an impact on all areas of life and economy. Around 80% of drinking water comes from groundwater. It is also essential for agriculture, industry, and many ecosystems. It can act as a buffer during droughts: depending on its type and the season, groundwater contributes 30 to 80% to the total run-off of Swiss rivers and streams.
Swiss scientists at SCNAT are calling for a comprehensive strategy that allows groundwater to be renewed and maintained at good quality. In the future, dry periods or heavy precipitation are likely to become more frequent due to climate change.
More More Climate adaptation Drought in Switzerland: Europe's 'water tower' runs dryThis content was published on Aug 21, 2026 Rivers reduced to trickles, scorched landscapes and forests taking on autumn colours weeks ahead of schedule: such scenes highlight the severity of a drought unmatched in Switzerland for decades.
Read more: Drought in Switzerland: Europe's 'water tower' run
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