Under new rules entering into application today, Member States must monitor, in a harmonised way, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels in drinking water to ensure compliance with the new EU limit values under the recast Drinking Water Directive.
The rules are the first time systematic monitoring of 'forever chemicals' in drinking water is to be implemented in the EU.
Member States will also have to inform the Commission of the monitoring results. This includes data on exceedances of the limit values, incidents and any granted derogations.
The new reporting system is simpler than under the previous Drinking Water Directive and reduces the amount of data to be reported.
If the limit values are exceeded, Member States must take action to reduce the level of PFAS and protect public health, while also informing the public. These measures may include closing contaminated wells, adding treatment steps to remove PFAS, or restricting the use of drinking water supplies for as long as the exceedance continues.
This contributes directly to a key objective of the Water Resilience Strategy – the right to safe drinking water. It also responds to the strategy’s call for urgent action to tackle pollutants that threaten Europe’s drinking water sources.
In 2024, to support consistent monitoring across the EU, the Commission issued technical guidelines on analytical methods for measuring the ‘PFAS Total’ and ‘Sum of PFAS’ in drinking water.
The guidelines are based on a technical and socio-economic assessment and were developed in close consultation with Member States. They set out the most appropriate methods for monitoring PFAS under the recast directive.
Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and Competitive Circular Economy said:
“PFAS pollution is a growing concern for drinking water across Europe. With harmonised limits and mandatory monitoring now in force, Member States have the rules and tools to swiftly detect and address PFAS to protect public health.”
The recast Drinking Water Directive was adopted in 2020, with Member States required to transpose the directive into national law by January 2023.
Under the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland continues to align with certain EU environmental and public health legislation. As a result, the EU Drinking Water Directive, including the new PFAS monitoring requirements, applies in Northern Ireland.
At present, there is no mandatory requirement in Great Britain to adopt the PFAS monitoring framework set out in Directive (EU) 2020/2184.
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