Switzerland, once home to some of the most polluted waters in Europe, has become a leader in water treatment. After a typhus outbreak in 1963, the country began large-scale upgrades to its wastewater treatment systems. By 2023, only five out of 196 bathing zones did not meet the high standards.
Infrastructure is a particular focus: in 2022, spending on water treatment reached 203 euros per person. Switzerland was also among the first to adopt legal requirements for removing micropollutants, such as residues of chemicals and medicines.
Now people in Switzerland enjoy swimming in local water bodies, and clean water has become not only an environmental indicator, but also part of public life.
