PFAS has in recent years become one of the most closely watched environmental and drinking-water issues in Europe. New monitoring, reporting and control requirements have been introduced while rules on emissions, waste, drinking water and chemicals are being tightened.
For water producers, industry, municipalities and property owners this means a greater need for sampling, risk assessment and, in some cases, treatment of water that contains PFAS.
Why are PFAS regulated?
PFAS are a large group of synthetic substances characterised by very strong carbon–fluorine bonds. Those bonds make the substances highly resistant to degradation and help explain why PFAS can remain in the environment for a very long time.
PFAS have been found in:
- Groundwater
- Surface water
- Drinking water
- Sludge
- Leachate
- Industrial process water
- Food
- Biological samples
The aim of regulation is to reduce human exposure and limit releases to the environment. See also What are PFAS?.
EU Drinking Water Directive
The European Union has introduced PFAS monitoring requirements through the revised Drinking Water Directive. The directive requires risk-based monitoring of drinking water and includes PFAS parameters.
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Sweden and drinking water
In Sweden the Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) is responsible for drinking-water rules. Municipal water producers and other operators covered by drinking-water legislation may need to analyse PFAS as part of control programmes and risk assessments.
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Current limit values should always be verified with the competent authority. A separate page on PFAS limit values in Sweden and the EU is being prepared. PFAS limit values.
PFAS in private wells
Private wells are normally not covered by the same control requirements as municipal waterworks, but well owners can still be affected if PFAS is present in local groundwater.
PFAS analysis can be particularly relevant if the well is near:
- Airports
- Fire-training sites
- Industry
- Landfills
- Defence sites
- Areas with known PFAS contamination
If concentrations are elevated, different treatment technologies may apply depending on water quality and end use. See PFAS removal and private well water.
Upcoming EU rules
PFAS is also covered by several ongoing and upcoming EU regulatory developments, including:
- Restrictions under the REACH regulation
- Stricter PFAS requirements in drinking water
- Increased PFAS control in waste streams
- Tighter emission requirements for industrial operations
- Increased monitoring in water reuse and circular water flows
Read more:
What does this mean for industry and water plants?
Many operators now map PFAS in process water, wastewater, leachate, water reuse, discharges to the recipient and stormwater. Risk assessment and sampling are becoming more important as legislation develops and knowledge of PFAS grows.
Open the water reuse risk assessment tool → · PFAS mass and limit checker →
Typical measures
When PFAS is identified in water, the following measures may apply:
- Water analysis and control programmes
- Source tracing
- Risk assessment
- Activated carbon (GAC)
- Ion exchange
- Zeolites
- Reverse osmosis (RO)
- Specialized adsorption media
- PFAS destruction technologies
From control to destruction
Historically the focus has mainly been on separating PFAS from water with activated carbon, ion exchange or membranes. In recent years interest has grown in destruction technologies that aim to break the strong carbon–fluorine bonds and thereby reduce the amount of PFAS in society.
Examples of technologies being developed and evaluated include:
- Advanced oxidation processes (AOP)
- Specialized AOP systems
- Electrochemical oxidation
- Plasma technology
- Radiation-based processes
- Sonolysis (ultrasound treatment)
- Combinations of physical and chemical destruction methods
PFAS rules are developing quickly in Sweden and internationally. Current limit values, analysis requirements and reporting duties should always be verified against applicable law and the competent authority.