Scientists make concerning discovery after testing residential tap water: 'Near or above safety limits'

Researchers in Sydney, Australia, recently uncovered 21 previously undetected "forever chemicals" in the city's residential tap water, raising new safety concerns about the public drinking supply. 

The findings add to growing evidence that PFAS — a group of chemicals linked to serious health risks — are more widespread than previously understood.

What's happening?

Researchers at University of New South Wales recently discovered 21 previously undetected PFAS — or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — in Sydney's tap water. This raises the total known PFAS present in Sydney's public drinking supply to 31. 

PFAS are widely used in everyday products, including nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics, and personal care items like nail polish and shampoo. Because these chemicals don't break down easily, they accumulate in the environment — including in drinking water.

Among the newly identified substances in Sydney's tap water was one chemical previously thought to exist only in bottled water and consumer goods. Another detected substance was a breakdown product of firefighting foams, which was also detected for the first time in any drinking water supply worldwide. 

Although the levels detected were extremely low, some samples came close to — or even exceeded — safety benchmarks used in other countries.

"Sydney's water meets current Australian standards, but when considering health benchmarks used in other countries, some samples were near or above safety limits," lead author and UNSW Sydney professor William Alexander Donald said in a news release. 

"Detecting PFAS not previously reported in tap water highlights that our monitoring programs are now uncovering more of the chemicals present in our supply," he added.

Why is PFAS in drinking water concerning?

PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" as they "usually take hundreds or thousands of years to break down," the World Economic Forum reports. These substances can build up in soil, water, and living organisms — including humans. 

The substances have been linked to health issues like cancers, reproductive issues, hormone disruption, and more. They also pose a threat to wildlife, potentially leading to illness or death when ingested. 

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There's still a lot to learn about the impact of PFAS — including what concentrations are particularly concerning for human exposure. What's clear, however, is that their persistence in the environment and ability to accumulate in living beings make them a growing public health concern and environmental challenge.

What's being done about PFAS in drinking water?

UNSW Sydney researchers highlighted the need for broader and more sensitive PFAS monitoring, particularly to understand how seasonal changes and regional regulations might affect exposure.

"It should be reassuring that these PFAS concentrations are low," laboratory analysis lead Dr. Lisa Hua said in the news release. "However, we should explore new technologies that remove PFAS before their release into our ecosystems and drinking water supply."

The authors also pointed to new research on a material that can remove more than 99% of PFAS from water at concentrations commonly found in the environment. 

UNSW Sydney noted that regulations and safety limits for PFAS are still evolving as scientists learn more about these "forever chemicals." For now, the World Health Organization and governments worldwide continue to monitor and reassess the risks of PFAS.

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