eau-polluant-eternel

Strasbourg's drinking water is heavily contaminated by a "forever chemical."

undefined undefined 4 février 2025 undefined 19h00

The Editor

Drinking tap water might have become dangerous? Perhaps. On Thursday, January 23, UFC-Que Choisir published its study on the presence of PFAS, or forever chemicals, in water. And the results are shocking: whether in big cities like Paris or Lyon, or in smaller towns like Lunel or Lavernat, 33 chemical compounds, which is the maximum number the laboratory could test, have been detected in tap water, including one that exceeds European limits.


The limit threshold of a persistent pollutant greatly exceeded in Strasbourg

In 2024, the organization conducted various analyses in 30 French municipalities with the help of the association Generations Future. While PFAS were detected across all these cities, in 20 of them, the levels exceeded the European standard set at 100 nanograms/liter. Notably, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) was found in 24 of the water samples analyzed. Unfortunately, the study notes that TFA is “very seldom tested for by regional health agencies during drinking water inspections.”

With a concentration of 6200 ng/l, Paris ranks second among the cities studied with The highest TFA level was found in Moussac (Gard) where 13,000 ng/l were observed. Bruxerolles (Vienne) comes in third with 2,600 ng/l.


Long-term harmful effects 

The problem is that those referred to as “eternal pollutants” comprise over 4,700 molecules. They can be found in the air, in water, and in the human body. If exposure to these PFAS is prolonged, they can act as endocrine disruptors and have an impact on fertility and the development of certain cancers. As the study explains, TFA is “almost indestructible in the environment,” which increases exposure, although it is not “as dangerous as PFOA or PFOS.” 

If the other analyzed PFAS « remain compliant with the standard chosen by France » which is « much less strict than those in other countries », the organizations behind the study emphasize the importance of being more vigilant