Chlordane in the Antilles: what water to drink in Guadeloupe and Martinique?
Used in banana plantations in Guadeloupe and Martinique from 1972 to 1993, chlordecone remains present in the soil and waters of the Antilles for decades. Should we be concerned about the water we drink? Here’s what the health authorities say, and the solutions to ensure safe water on a daily basis.
Chlordane, a very persistent pesticide
Chlordane is an insecticide used for more than twenty years to control the banana weevil. Banned since 1993, it degrades extremely slowly: it permanently contaminates soils, rivers, aquifers and the marine environment near the coast.
According to Santé publique France (Kannari study, 2013-2014), chlordane is detected in the blood of % More than 90 adults from Guadeloupe and Martinique. The prevalence has been decreasing since 2003 for the majority of the population, but not for the most exposed individuals.
Where does the exhibition come from?
According to the Anses, Food is the main route of exposure Fish and crustaceans caught in the contaminated area, freshwater crustaceans, eggs from family poultry farms, root vegetables grown in contaminated soil. Products from informal circuits (self-production, donations, roadside sales, recreational fishing) are more exposed than those from controlled circuits. The JAFA program offers free soil and food analyses.
And the tap water?
The water distributed by the public network is treated, notably with activated carbon in the affected plants, and monitored by the ARS. However, chlordane may be present in water from springs, rivers or untreated reservoirs. It is therefore advisable not to drink water from a spring or ravine without proper treatment.
In the Antilles, another difficulty is added: the water cuts and the «water towers», which are common in Guadeloupe, which force many households to store water or buy water packs.
What solutions for safe water?
1. Filter the tap water with an osmoseur
To go beyond the treatment of the network, a sink-mounted osmoseur retains most of the dissolved contaminants: pesticides, PFASs, nitrates, heavy metals. See, for example, the’Osmoseur Pure Balance, Without electricity, or the Cross 90 Balance.
2. Treating the water from a well or a borehole
The water from a private well is not controlled by the ARS: have it analyzed, then treat it with an appropriate system, such as the’Osmoseur Slim 4″ Pro, or its version special sour water for wells near the sea.
3. Producing its own water from air
An atmospheric water generator does not draw its water from the ground or from rivers: it condenses the moisture in the air, then filters it, purifies it and mineralizes it. According to the Anses, no contamination of the air by chlordane has been detected. This is therefore water that is independent of soil pollution and remains available during network outages.
The Antillean climate, warm and humid all year round, is ideal: it is under these conditions that a generator produces the most water. C2 suitable for one person or a couple, the C3 to a small family, the C8 in a large family or an office.
👉 Discover our Special offer for Guadeloupe on the C2.
In summary
- Chlordane mainly affects food from the contaminated areas.
- Tap water is treated and controlled; avoid untreated spring or river water.
- Osmosis system, drilling treatment or atmospheric water generator: several solutions exist to drink safe water, even during outages.
Sources: Anses, Public Health France. Any questions? Contact us.
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