French watchdog finds traces of banned pesticide in drinking water

The French National Agency for Food, the Environment and Occupational Safety (ANSES) reported that half of the drinking water samples analysed contained traces of a banned pesticide. This highlights the persistence of potentially harmful chemicals in the environment. In this specific case, ANSES found traces of metabolites of chlorothalonil (R417888), a fungicide banned by the EU in 2020 due to its potential carcinogenic properties. The test results could raise questions about the presence of other undetected chemicals in drinking water, posing major operational and financial challenges for French water companies.