PFAS in drinking water: should we worry in Belgium?

For a few years now, the term PFAS has appeared more and more often in the media and in official communications. But what are these substances? Can they reach drinking water? And how are they monitored?

PFAS stands for "per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances". It is a large family of chemicals used for their resistance to water, grease, heat or certain chemicals. Their strong persistence in the environment has earned them the nickname "forever chemicals".

Yes. Some PFAS can be found in soils, groundwater and surface water. In Belgium and Wallonia, their presence is therefore specifically monitored.

The regulations applicable to water intended for human consumption set, among other things, a value of 0.1 µg/L for the sum of 20 PFAS and 0.5 µg/L for the total PFAS covered by the regulatory parameter. In Wallonia, the PFAS-20 standard of 100 ng/L has applied since February 2025.

No. A distinction must be made between the possible presence of a contaminant, the analysis results and the water's compliance with regulatory requirements. Suppliers monitor water quality and take measures when necessary.

Some technologies reduce PFAS concentrations, particularly in specific contexts. Activated carbon filtration is used in some treatment installations; other technologies may be considered depending on the contaminant, its concentration, the flow rate and the use of the water.

Caution: not all domestic filters are designed to remove PFAS. The choice of a system must be based on an analysis, the substances sought, their concentration, the required flow rate and maintenance constraints.

Our approach is simple: analyse, identify, treat, check. The aim is to select a solution suited to the problem actually identified, rather than installing equipment without knowing the need.