Zug puts the Lake Zug aeration project on hold

The Zug Civil Engineering Commission has shelved the joint project to combat phosphorus in Lake Zug. The cantonal governments are now going back to the drawing board.
 

The project by the cantons of Zug, Schwyz and Lucerne to jointly aerate Lake Zug (Zugersee-Belüftung) and thereby reduce the phosphorus content is stalling further. After the Schwyz cantonal council (Kantonsrat) said no to the co-financing, and the Mitte party (centre party) in Schwyz launched an initiative for the aeration project, the project is now definitely back to square one.

It was actually the civil engineering commission (Tiefbaukommission) that was supposed to discuss the project. After the Lucerne government had already said yes and agreed to contribute to the costs, the canton of Zug would have ultimately had to cover the costs that the canton of Schwyz refused to pay.

Cantonal governments consider the next steps
The joint project was expected to cost CHF 11.2 million, with Canton Schwyz having to pay CHF 2.3 million for its share, plus annual maintenance costs of CHF 109,000.

The ball is now back in the court of the three Central Swiss cantonal governments. ‘We have removed the matter from the agenda of the commission,’ explains the responsible Zug President of the Civil Engineering Commission, SVP (Swiss People’s party) Cantonal Councillor Adrian Risi, to the ‘Boten der Urschweiz’ newspaper. The reason: the three environment directors want to meet again to discuss the initial situation and how to proceed.

‘This decision has nothing to do with the launch of the Mitte initiative, however,’ adds Adrian Risi. The commission removed the matter from the list of topics before the Schwyz Mitte made its initiative public and launched it. It's clear that canton Zug doesn’t want to have to come up with the money on its own, which is why the governments are now discussing the initial situation again, emphasises Adrian Risi.

Crystal-clear water, but excessive phosphorus levels at depth: Lake Zug with Arth in the background
A welcome cool-down on hot days: a raft at the Arth lido on Lake Zug       Photos: Jürg Auf der Maur
 

He says that it’s also clear at the moment that the project will be delayed. ‘The matter will not be discussed in concrete terms before the late summer or even in to autumn.’ He’s convinced that: ‘It won't work without the participation of canton Schwyz.’

The aim is to further reduce the phosphorus content in Lake Zug through aeration, after agriculture around the lake had already made a significant contribution to this. At 80 milligrams per 1,000 litres of water, the phosphorus content is still high, however, namely 50 milligrams above the limit value.

FDP and SVP say no, while the Mitte party launches an initiative
In April this year, the Schwyz Cantonal Council rejected the joint remediation project by 54 votes to 43. The project failed due to a majority vote by the local FDP (liberal party) and the SVP parties. And it wasn’t only the cost-benefit aspect that was called into question. The FDP thereby cited a study, according to which the addition of oxygen would only be effective down to a certain depth.

The Centre Party of Schwyz described this rejection as short-sighted, and launched a popular initiative, calling for the people to be able to decide on the lake remediation project. The collection of signatures for the initiative is still ongoing.