Ressources ultimes d'eau potable en cas de crise de pollution majeure : rôle des gisements d'eau embouteillée

Ultimate resources of drinking water in the event of a major pollution crisis: the role of bottled water

¹ BRGM, Centres thématiques Eau et Eaux thermo-minérales
² Haut fonctionnaire de Défense, Ministère de l'Environnement

Abstract

In the event of a serious and widespread pollution incident - on the level of the "Chernobyl cloud" most of the drinking water resources in France could be contaminated: surface water immediately, ground water in a few days... or a few months.

Therefore on the initiative of the Ministry of the Environment's Director for Defence, a study has been initiated as to what might be qualified as "final emergency resources". An inventory and map of protected resources have been prepared. ln this context it seems reasonable to show bottled water as a resource meeting the necessary protection criteria. However it seems that these criteria are not all, nor always, relevant for defining a "ultimate emergency resource" not contaminated by a major incident.

This article outlines a typology of situations and defines the main criteria necessary for bottled water to be able to constitute an ultimate resource.