Tap water could become more expensive in Switzerland; walkers warned about falling trees; and more Swiss news in our roundup on Tuesday.
Tap water could become more expensive in Switzerland
According to experts, Switzerland was not at all prepared for the current drought, or its impact on water supply.
This lack of foresight could have serious consequences for consumers: due to drought-driven shortages, the price of tap water could increase.
Hydrologist Tobias Wechsler said that the responsibility for water management and supply lies primarily with the cantons, which hold sovereignty over this resource.
Therefore, they must “urgently develop sustainable water strategies to prevent shortages and higher cost to consumers.”
And speaking of water scarcity…
Aargau municipality shuts off its fountains due to water theft
All but one of the fountains in Veltheim have been turned off due to unusually high volume of stolen water.
Typically, it is acceptable to fill a water bottle for personal consumption, but in this case, “water was hauled away in large barrels, sometimes even with the help of submersible pumps.”
“That is not acceptable,” town officials said. “Water from our fountains is not to be used for commercial purposes or for large-scale private withdrawals.”
Union calls for a 2-percent wage increase for 2027
According to the Travail Suisse trade union, the purchasing power of Switzerland’’s employees must be protected, particularly in the face of rising prices and the cost of living.
Workers “deserve to benefit from a decent share of companies’ increased earnings,” Thomas Bauer, Head of Economic Policy at Travail.Suisse said on Monday.
But “the significant productivity gains achieved by companies are increasingly failing to benefit employees,” he added.
The 2-percent wage increase demanded by Travail.Suisse “aligns with the average across all sectors,” the union said.
Beware of falling trees when walking in the forest
Persistent heatwave and drought have weakened the trees, making Swiss forests more dangerous.
According to the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund (Suva), spontaneous falling branches- and even entire treetops – have become more frequent, particularly on the Swiss Plateau and in the Jura region.
The danger is hard to spot, as trees that appear healthy may actually be compromised.
Suva therefore advises hikers and mountain bikers to avoid lingering under large trees, and refrain from entering the forest during strong winds.
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