Tap water “must no longer be consumed,” says the ARS Occitanie director in a confidential letter.

“We should prefer bottled water.” The chained duck In its edition of Wednesday October 18, a letter sent by the director of the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Occitania, Didier Jaffre, was revealed, in which he warned against the use of drinking water in the region. The director of ARS sent this warning in a letter addressed to his officials on September 23.

He explains that it is necessary “Change approach and discourse” because “There are PFAS [les per- et polyfluoroalkylées NDLR] and metabolites everywhere. And the more we search, the more we will find.” Agreed Chained duckDidier Jaffre notes that tap water “It should no longer be consumed, but used only for everything else, so bottled water should be preferred.”

Responsible for chronic diseases

PFAS are perennial pollutants used in many industrial sectors and everyday products, we can read on the government website. They are considered eternal because they exist “in an extremely stable environment.” ANSES also highlighted impacts “doubtful, even proven” PFAS on health. So diabetes, obesity or even some types of cancer can be linked to these pollutants.

ANSES also warned in the spring of the mass presence of metabolites of chlorothalonil, a fungicide banned in France from 2020, in one out of every two water samples. This fungicide has been classified as a probable carcinogen since 2006. In its report published in January 2023, the association Générations Futures noted: “permanence” of these perennial surface water pollutants, denouncing that a significant proportion of the European population is being exposed. The association filed a complaint against X for “environmental damage”.

In his letter, the director of ARS Occitania details that the strengthening of water control will become mandatory in 2026. Meanwhile, Didier Jaffrey will advise, Chained duck, “Don’t” controls.