PFAS in Drinking Water: New EU Requirements

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are currently among the most important topics in environmental and drinking water analysis. Due to their extreme chemical stability, they are often referred to as “forever chemicals.” PFAS are persistent, highly mobile in water, and have been linked to potential health risks. As a result, European authorities are tightening regulatory requirements for PFAS in drinking water.

What are PFAS and why are they regulated?

PFAS are a large group of synthetic chemicals that have been used for decades in numerous industrial and consumer applications, such as coatings, firefighting foams, textiles, and packaging materials.

Typical properties of PFAS:

• Extremely persistent in the environment and in living organisms

• Highly water-soluble and mobile

• Partly bioaccumulative

• For some substances, evidence of adverse health effects, e.g. on the immune system, liver, or hormonal balance

Because PFAS degrade only very slowly and can accumulate in water resources over time, the European Union has introduced specific requirements for PFAS in drinking water.

New drinking water requirements: PFAS-20 and PFAS-4

The revised EU Drinking Water Directive and its national implementation rely on sum parameters to regulate the large number of individual PFAS substances in a practical way.

Sum of PFAS-20 (from January 2026)

• Includes 20 selected individual PFAS compounds

• Limit value: 0.1 µg/L (100 ng/L)

• Aims to limit the overall PFAS burden in drinking water

Sum of PFAS-4 (from January 2028)

• Includes four particularly relevant PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and PFHxS

• Limit value: 0.02 µg/L (20 ng/L)

• Specifically targets substances of highest toxicological relevance

The PFAS-4 substances are part of the PFAS-20 group. This creates a two-tier control system, allowing both the overall PFAS load and the most critical individual substances to be assessed separately.

Implications for drinking water suppliers and distributors

The new limit values place increased demands on drinking water monitoring and quality assurance:

• Early monitoring of raw and drinking water

• Highly sensitive analysis in the ng/L range

• Transparent reporting of individual substances and sum parameters

• Sound risk assessment and action planning

Reliable analytical data are a key basis for regulatory compliance and long-term planning.

PFAS analysis at GALAB

GALAB is already prepared for upcoming requirements and offers PFAS analysis in accordance with the new drinking water regulations.

Our services include:

• Analysis of Sum PFAS-20 and Sum PFAS-4

• High-resolution LC–MS/MS methods in the ng/L range

• Evaluation in line with current and future limit values

• Clear, well-structured result reports

• Expert support for data interpretation and compliance questions

By aligning our analytical services early with future regulatory requirements, we help our customers prepare reliably and in good time.

Outlook

The regulation of PFAS in drinking water is an important step toward protecting both the environment and public health. As regulatory requirements continue to tighten, precise analytical methods and reliable laboratory partners will become increasingly important.

GALAB supports drinking water suppliers and distributors as a competent partner for future-proof PFAS analysis.

We are happy to advise you on monitoring strategies or on implementing the new PFAS requirements in your drinking water system.

Sources

Ordinance on the Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption – § 7 Chemical requirements – German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection

Annex 2 Trinkwasserverordnung – German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection