PFAS, long-lived chemicals, accumulate in the body and can have adverse health effects. From 2026, communities will have to monitor and reduce their presence in drinking water. However, current results show that several cities already exceed European safety thresholds.
From 2026, municipalities will be required to inform their residents of the level of PFAS in water
There’s a lot of talk about “forever pollutants,” or PFAS, an acronym for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds. Widely used in industry, particularly in the manufacture of heat- and water-resistant products, these chemical compounds are nicknamed “forever pollutants” because of their persistence in the environment and their accumulation in living organisms. But what about their presence in tap water?
In France, samples taken between April and June 2024 by local France Bleu radio stations, which were then sent to a laboratory, made it possible to identify the presence of PFAS in 43% of the samples. This contamination is particularly worrying in five municipalities:
- Auxerre
- Lille
- Saint-Jean-de-Losne
- Saint-Vit and Déols
Levels of these pollutants in these cities are reaching dangerous levels. Regulations that will come into force in 2026 will require communities to carry out the same type of sampling and inform the public if safety thresholds are exceeded.
Eternal pollutants: strategic locations particularly exposed
The investigation revealed that proximity to industrial areas, airports, fire stations and waste treatment centres was often linked to higher levels of PFAS in water. These areas are known to release these pollutants into water sources, which explains the observed contamination. Radio France’s Investigation Unit, supported by scientists, targeted these strategic locations to carry out the samples, thus providing a more precise map of the risk areas.
Furthermore, some municipalities, such as Cognac, Martres-Tolosane and Saint-Symphorien-d’Ozon, already exceed the thresholds set by the new European standards. These results suggest a worrying situation that may require rapid action well before the 2026 deadline. Local authorities, with the help of large companies such as Veolia, will have to step up their efforts to monitor and treat this pollution.
The results of this survey therefore show that PFAS represent a threat to water quality in France and highlight the urgency of an appropriate regulatory response to protect the health of citizens.
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