Drinking water back on tap in Geneva as restrictions are lifted

Residents of several Geneva communes were told not to drink tap water after a main burst. Keystone-SDA

Water is once again drinkable throughout the canton of Geneva, the Services industriels de Genève (SIG) said on Tuesday evening, after three days without tap water in several communes. All restrictions have been lifted.

The results of physico-chemical and bacteriological analyses show that criteria for potable water are met, the SIG said in a press release.

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No special precautions need to be taken, except perhaps for taps that have remained closed for three days. They should be opened cautiously and the water allowed to run until the water is clear and fresh, said the hydro company.

The water distribution system put in place over the last few days will be gradually lifted. The mobile cisterns will be withdrawn from midday on Wednesday. On the health front, the situation has remained calm. No increase in consultations linked to this event has been noted by doctors or hospitals.

+ Burst water main affects 40,000 Geneva residents

The water was declared unfit for consumption, unless boiled, following the rupture of a main on Saturday night. This caused a depression in the water network, which may have been contaminated by airborne bacteria.

Thirteen communes were affected, three of them entirely: Anières, Corsier and Hermance. For the others, only certain neighborhoods were affected. These were Chêne-Bougeries, Chêne-Bourg, Choulex, Collonge-Bellerive, Cologny, Meinier, Puplinge, Thônex, Vandoeuvres and an area of Eaux-Vives in the city of Geneva.

Translated from French by DeepL/gw

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