PFAS and drinking water

PFAS (poly and perfluoroalkyl substances, which include PFOS and PFOA) is a group of at least 5,000 man-made chemicals that are used in the manufacture of everyday products found everywhere in our homes and daily lives.

Often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’, they take decades, if not centuries, to breakdown in the environment. They are stable because of their chemical structure (carbon-fluorine bonds) and are very resistant. They can attach to soil and sediment, and leach into groundwater and surface water, which can then impact drinking water sources.  

In production since the 1940s, these synthetic chemicals are favoured for their durability and resistant properties against moisture, heat and stains. PFAS are used in the manufacture of everyday products such as:

– food packaging
– water resistant clothing
– textile, fabric and clothing treatments
– skin creams and cosmetics
– car and floor polish
– non-stick cookware
– smart technology
– medical equipment
– firefighting foams
– pesticides

The most commonly used PFAS chemicals are:

– PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate)
– PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid)
– PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonate)​

Public concern, understanding and expectations about PFAS chemicals are growing. At Jersey Water, we are very aware of and share Islanders’ worries about the extent of the pollution in Jersey and what is being done to remove it from the natural environment.

While globally PFAS pollution extends beyond water sources – also being found in the air, sea and soil – we want to reassure our community that we are focused on doing everything we can to minimise these chemicals in our water supply, as well as already being fully compliant with safe regulatory limits set for PFAS by the UK and the European Union.

PFAS pollution is not an issue that is unique to Jersey. Around the world, countries are facing the effect that these man-made chemicals are having on our environment and the implications for public health.

Although PFAS pollution was not created by the water industry, water companies globally are being looked to, to help tackle the problem and find solutions to treat it, where necessary, to preserve water supply sources.

We can be exposed to PFAS chemicals on a daily basis, whether at home, in our workplaces or through the natural environment. For example, from the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the cosmetic products we apply, the cookware and technology we use.

As PFAS chemicals are everywhere, it is widely believed that most populations around the world are likely to have some level of PFAS in their blood.

International scientific studies have found that drinking water normally accounts for a small proportion of a person’s potential overall exposure to PFAS, approximately 20%, with the rest coming from food, other drinks, products that we use in everyday life, and even household dust.

Some PFAS, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), have been linked to adverse effects in animal and human studies when there have been sufficient levels of exposure. This has led to the use of these substances being restricted or banned in several global markets. For example, PFOA and PFOS have been restricted in England and Wales through UK REACH – the regulatory framework for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals.

PFAS exposure is of particular interest in Jersey because of the chemical contamination of some private borehole and stream water sources, caused by firefighting foam containing PFAS that leached into the environment from the fire training ground at Jersey Airport. (See the section on History of PFAS in Jersey and areas of most contamination)

If you are concerned about your exposure to PFAS chemicals and the potential health implications, contact the Government of Jersey’s Public Health Department.

Global concern and research into the health risks of PFAS exposure are growing. This is still an emerging field of study and experts have yet to reach a consensus on what constitutes a “normal” PFAS level in the bloodstream or what threshold might pose health risks.

Scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.

In 2022, the Government of Jersey provided blood testing for a group of Islanders affected by the historic use of PFAS in firefighting foam at Jersey Airport. (See section on History of PFAS in Jersey).

In 2023, the PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel was established to investigate the possible health impacts of PFAS on Islanders from all aspects of exposure in our environment, including water. This is an independent panel made up of external experts from a global pool of specialists in their field.

You can find more information on the Government of Jersey website: PFAS in Jersey

If you are concerned about your exposure to PFAS chemicals and the potential health implications, contact the Government of Jersey’s Public Health Department.

Widely documented, the main source of PFAS pollution to Island streams and groundwater is from the historic use of firefighting foams containing PFAS at the airport. 

Now no longer in use at Jersey Airport, at the time this foam contaminated private water supplies and several of Jersey Water’s own boreholes in the St Ouen’s Bay area, as well as a stream source at Pont Marquet. These Jersey Water supplies are no longer in use.

Further information on the history of PFAS in Jersey is available on the Government of Jersey’s website: PFAS in Jersey

Three Jersey Water boreholes in St Ouen’s Bay and a stream source in Pont Marquet have been directly affected by the pollution from the airport firefighting foam.

We took the most contaminated borehole out of service more than 15 years ago and it remains out of use to this day. The other sources have not been used since 2022, following scientific developments and regulatory changes. Our current operating policy is to only ever use these affected sources during the most severe drought and only ever in conjunction with the desalination plant, which serves to significantly dilute the PFAS concentrations, ensuring that our treated drinking water still remains safe and fully compliant with UK and EU water quality standards.

The pollution of these sources presents a significant raw water quality challenge for Jersey Water, particularly during periods of drought.

Jersey Water supports the need for the Island to find a holistic solution to tackle the PFAS pollution issue and address the current and future water quality risks posed by PFAS chemicals.

A number of actions have been undertaken by various Island agencies since the discovery of PFAS in the groundwater. In 2019, the Government of Jersey established the PFAS Officer Technical Group to investigate the issue of PFAS pollution in the vicinity of the airport, the St. Ouen’s Bay aquifer and Pont Marquet catchment. We continue to contribute to and support the group with this work.

Separate to the acute contamination in St Ouen’s Bay, today PFAS chemicals are also detected in much low concentrations across the Island catchments, streams and raw water reservoir supplies. This is not considered to be connected to the airport plume, as water has not been deliberately  transferred around the network from the affected western supplies to our other reservoirs across the Island.

International scientific studies have found that drinking water normally accounts for a small proportion of a person’s potential exposure to PFAS, approximately 20%, with the rest coming from food, other drinks, and products that we use in everyday life.

Trace concentrations of PFAS are detected in Jersey’s mains water supply. The levels are well within the safe limits set for water quality regulation in the UK and EU.

We do, however, understand that for some of our customers any concentration of PFAS in drinking water may be a legitimate concern. We want to reassure you that the water we supply is safe, reliable and of very high quality. In fact, Jersey’s drinking water ranks among the best in the world.

The water we supply to your tap has been sampled and tested for PFAS. We monitor levels of PFAS at our two water treatment works through an extensive sampling and analysis programme that we undertake at least fortnightly. The results of this testing, undertaken by an independent accredited laboratory in the UK, provide assurance that drinking water in Jersey remains fully compliant with water quality limits for PFAS set by the EU Drinking Water Directive and the UK’s Drinking Water Inspectorate (the regulator for England and Wales). PFAS testing can not be done by Jersey Water or in the Island as it requires specialist testing equipment. 

The number of PFAS compounds that we can test for has increased substantially over the years, as laboratory capabilities have improved.

Today, we test for 48 different PFAS compounds, using a fully accredited UK laboratory. Out of all PFAS chemicals, these 48 are the compounds that are most likely to be found in drinking water, as determined by the UK’s Environment Agency and the UK’s Drinking Water Inspectorate.

Of these 48 compounds, eight have been detected in the Island’s mains water supply in concentrations that are well below the UK and EU regulatory limits. These are the eight compounds:

• PFBA (357-22-4) Perfluoro-n-butanoic acid
• PFBS (375-73-5) Perfluoro-1-butanesulfonate
• PFHpA (375-85-9) Perfluoro-n-heptanoic acid
• PFHxA (307-24-4) Perfluoro-n-hexanoic acid
• PFHxS (355-46-4) Perfluoro-1-hexanesulfonate
• PFOA (335-67-1) Perfluoro-n-octanoic acid
• PFOS (1763-23-1) Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
• PFPeA (2706-90-3) Perfluoro-n-pentanoic acid

We publish the results from our PFAS testing in our annual Water Quality report.

This graph shows the annual average concentration of total PFAS detected in the drinking water from both of our Handois and Augrès treatment works since 2019. This is compared against the UK Drinking Water Inspectorate and the EU Directive (red line), which illustrates that PFAS in drinking water in Jersey is considerably less than the regulatory requirement and that levels are decreasing over time. By 2024 concentrations were on average 68% lower than the future EU and current UK standards.

Average concentration of total PFAS detected in drinking water

Raw water is the water from streams sources and our untreated reservoirs. We test all raw water for PFAS at least four times a year. Where we detect elevated concentrations of these chemicals, our sampling frequency is much higher.

The majority of the stream sources in Jersey have a low or very low risk of PFAS contamination, with the exception of Pont Marquet and some boreholes in St Ouen’s Bay, which Jersey Water no longer uses.

You can find summary results of our testing in our annual water quality reports:
Water Quality Report – Jersey Water

We follow best practices and ensure that we do not use any water sources that have been identified as highly contaminated with PFAS. This has led to a noteworthy reduction in PFAS concentrations in drinking water.

Scientific knowledge and understanding of the risks associated with PFAS are developing at pace. Water quality regulations and standards around the world vary and are rapidly evolving.

There is currently no international consensus on a recognised concentration or value at which PFAS or individual PFAS compounds pose a danger to human health. Around the world, there is a wide range of tolerable concentrations in place in different jurisdictions. This is currently under review in a number of countries and with the World Health Organisation (WHO). According to WHO, “member states should achieve concentrations in drinking water that are as low as reasonably practical.”

PFAS and Forever Chemicals – Drinking Water Inspectorate

Drinking water in Jersey is regulated under the Water (Jersey) Law 1972 (as amended). Under this Law, there is a legal requirement for Jersey Water to maintain a supply of “wholesome” water. That means water that does not contain any micro-organism, parasite or substance at a concentration or value which would constitute a potential danger to human health.

The Government of Jersey is the regulator for drinking water and sets the standards with which Jersey Water must comply.

There is currently no specific regulatory standard in Jersey for PFAS in drinking water. We have therefore, for many years, taken the proactive and precautionary approach to follow the guidelines, best practice and regulations set by the UK ‘s Drinking Water Inspectorate and the European Union, as a benchmark for ensuring our drinking water remains “wholesome” and safe to drink.

The EU has adopted a standard of 0.1 micrograms per litre for 20 individual substances. The UK’s Drinking Water Inspectorate also supports this approach and considers that a guidance limit of 0.1 micrograms per litre for PFAS is a robust level with an appropriate margin of safety, to ensure the wholesomeness of drinking water.

Jersey’s drinking water remains 100% compliant with both the UK and EU regulatory standards. In fact, the trace levels found in the mains supply are 68% lower than the safe limits set by the UK and EU.

We will soon see updated regulations come into effect in the EU in 2026, in the UK in 2031 and in the USA by 2029. The latter is taking a zero-tolerance stance for PFAS for six compounds. These six compounds fall within the 48 we already test for here in Jersey.

We continue to work closely with the Government of Jersey’s Public Health and Environment teams, to understand and follow the most up-to-date information on standards, treatment, remediation and toxicology.

We also use the World Health Organisation’s risk-based water safety planning approach to identify and mitigate any potential risks to drinking water from source to tap.

Over the last 15 years, we have taken significant steps to protect the quality of our drinking water from PFAS contamination. The water we supply has always been consistently compliant with drinking water quality standards for PFAS set by the UK and EU.

The mains water supply is rigorously and frequently sampled and tested for PFAS concentrations to ensure that our drinking water meets with the UK and EU requirements. The trace concentrations found in mains water fall well within these current regulatory requirements.

The average sum of PFAS concentration for Jersey’s drinking water in 2024 was 0.032 micrograms per litre (μg/l). For context, this is equivalent to one and a half teaspoons of sugar in 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools, and is 68% lower than both the EU and UK regulatory requirement of 0.1μg/l. The highest level we detected (0.051μg/l) was also well below the standard, in fact 49% lower. These results demonstrate that we continue to do everything we can to minimise PFAS.

The table below shows our current levels of compliance with the UK’s existing regulatory requirements, and also the new standards that the UK, EU and USA will adopt between now and 2031. We already very nearly achieve full compliance with the future standards.

While the Government of Jersey determines the regulation that we will need to comply with, we will continue to ensure that we follow wider guidance, and develop our treatment capability to meet these requirements, both now and in the future.

Compliance against future standards

Until the Government sets specific PFAS standards for Jersey, we will continue to be guided by the UK and EU regulatory requirements.

We are supporting the Government of Jersey’s Environment and Public Health Departments as they work through the wider public health issues associated with PFAS in the environment and consider the specific water quality regulations to be adopted for Jersey.

Now and in the future, we will take all necessary steps to ensure our drinking water remains “wholesome” and safe, and that our customers have confidence in their tap water.

Our aim is that our treated drinking water meets the regulations the Island adopts and our customers have full confidence in their supply.

Since 1989, we have been monitoring the levels of PFAS in streams, reservoirs and our treated drinking water through an extensive sampling and analysis programme.

Since 2019, we have increased independent testing for PFAS by 75% due to increasing evidence on the health impacts of PFAS and in anticipation of tightening regulations globally. In 2024 alone, we conducted more than 16,600 tests through an independent accredited contract laboratory in the UK, demonstrating our commitment to understanding and managing this environmental pollution.

This comprehensive and independent testing is evidence that we continue to remain fully compliant with the regulatory requirements for PFAS in drinking water set by the EU and the UK’s Drinking Water Inspectorate. In fact, our 2024 results were 68% lower than the safe limits.

Currently, there is no specific treatment in place in Jersey for PFAS, although for a number of years, we have been proactively investigating potential solutions. New regulatory requirements for PFAS will come into effect in the UK (2031), the EU (2026) and the USA (2029) and, while we do already predominantly meet all of these future standards, we will most likely need to put treatment processes in place to guarantee consistent compliance with future standards.

Once the Government has determined and set the Island’s future limits for PFAS in drinking water, we will then be able to decide upon and deliver the most appropriate treatment solution to meet those requirements.

We continue to take all reasonably practical steps to minimise PFAS and ensure our mains supply remains clean, safe and compliant with any regulatory standard adopted by the Government of Jersey.

There are many established treatment processes in use around the world which can remove PFAS from water supplies. These include activated carbon systems, ion exchange systems and  reverse osmosis membrane filtration systems (comparable to our desalination plant).

Managing PFAS in the environment, including water, requires a detailed understanding of the extent of the chemical contamination, to ensure that the best treatment solution is selected. We are part of a multi-agency approach, led by the Government of Jersey, that is focused on addressing all PFAS environmental pollution in the Island. Through effective collaboration, the correct solution and appropriate management of the PFAS contamination can be found, to ensure high quality drinking water continues to be supplied to the Island.

As the regulator for water quality, it is for the Government of Jersey to set the regulatory limits for PFAS. Those limits will dictate the treatment solution that we will need to adopt for water quality. The cost of installing and operating treatment processes for PFAS – and the impact on customer bills – has the potential to be significant, but this can only be determined once the new regulatory limits for Jersey are known.

In the meantime, we will continue to investigate all viable treatment options to consider the specific PFAS treatment requirements for Jersey, their cost and timelines. This work will help us determine the installation and operating requirements of potential treatment solutions.

We will complete further pilot trials to assess the effectiveness of treatment on the Island’s streams and untreated reservoirs. Our research and trials will supplement the studies that the Government of Jersey is undertaking.

Our priority, and our commitment, is to ensure that we keep minimising PFAS in drinking water and continuing to be fully compliant with any future internationally recognised standards that Jersey adopts. That’s so that we can maintain both the high quality of the Island’s drinking water and the community’s confidence in the treated mains water supply.

We currently meet all regulatory requirements under Water (Jersey) Law, as well as the EU Drinking Water Directive requirements for PFAS and guidelines set by the UK’s Drinking Water Inspectorate (England and Wales).

We regularly assess and refine how we manage and minimise PFAS in the Island’s water supply. As understanding of these chemicals and their long-term impacts evolves, so will our approach. We are focused on staying up-to-date with the latest research to proactively address any emerging risks. As new information becomes available, we will adjust our practices accordingly and keep Islanders informed of any important developments.

We will keep working with all relevant stakeholders, including the Government of Jersey and Ports of Jersey. We will continue to monitor innovation and evaluate treatment options and regulatory requirements.

As part of our collaborative working on this topic, we have hosted the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel and members of the Government of Jersey’s Public Health Department at our Handois treatment works. These visits were to show first-hand our processes for treating drinking water and to discuss the critical work that we continue to do to tackle the PFAS levels found in raw and treated drinking water.

We are an active member of UK research forums on PFAS management and treatment and our Head of Water Quality has been a guest speaker on this topic at national and international conferences.

We are committed to minimising PFAS concentrations in drinking water today and for future generations.

Below is a timeline summary of the work we have completed or that is ongoing:

• 1989 – Introduced sampling in 1989.
• 1990s – Extended the mains network in St Ouen in two phases to give properties on private boreholes access to mains water. This was paid for by the Government of Jersey, following the airport firefighting foam pollution incident
• 2000 – Limited the use of the most contaminated borehole in the airport plume
• 2009 – Removed the most contaminated borehole from service
• 2019 – Introduced Island-wide stream monitoring for 16 PFAS compounds
• 2019 – Joined the PFAS Officer Technical Group set up by the Government 
• 2021 – Funded and completed further mains extensions in St Peter’s village to give remaining properties on private boreholes in the affected area access to mains water, after PFAS was identified in those private boreholes
• 2021- Commissioned a report to establish the best available technology for Jersey Water to remove PFAS from these sources.
• 2022 – With the results of the report, conducted a desktop treatment evaluation on Surface Active Foam Fractionation (SAFF)
• 2022 – Increased our analysis of PFAS from 16 to 48 different compounds, following improvements in analytical laboratory techniques
• 2022 – Following scientific developments and regulatory changes, removed Pont Marquet and all Jersey Water St Ouen’s boreholes from supply
• 2024 – Commissioned a high-level treatment feasibility study.

According to the Government of Jersey, four pesticides containing PFAS are imported into the Island for use by the agriculture industry.

Operationally it is a regular challenge for our teams to manage runoff from fields and protect water quality. By carefully selecting which reservoir to use and appropriate treatment, we have not had a breach of the regulatory limits for pesticides in drinking water since 2016 and we have equally been 100% compliant with the UK and EU standards for PFAS.

Since 2016, we have worked collaboratively with the Government of Jersey and the farming community under the banner of Action for Cleaner Water to ensure best practice working methods to protect the quality of the Island’s water resources. This working relationship has led to a sustainable improvement in water quality.

Your drinking water is already filtered before it reaches your taps. It is safe to drink, and you do not need to filter it.

While we do not currently have specific PFAS treatment solutions in place at Jersey Water, the drinking water we supply consistently falls well with the safe limits for PFAS set by the UK and EU. In fact, in 2024, the trace levels of PFAS detected in our mains supply, which equate to approximately one teaspoon and a half of sugar in 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools, were 68% lower than these regulatory standards.

Out of personal choice, Islanders may still wish to filter their drinking water. If you do opt to use a filtration system, it is important to chose a reputable one and follow the instructions for use. These filters do often remove beneficial minerals from the water, as well as chlorine, which we add in small quantities as a disinfectant to protect against bacterial growth and ensure the water is safe to drink.

When using a filter, make sure you use the water within 24 hours to ensure bacteria does not develop.

We already test the drinking water supply regularly for PFAS to ensure it falls within the safe limits set by the UK and EU. Every year, we publish the results of our testing in our water quality report so you can be assured that your tap water is safe to drink.

We use an independent accredited laboratory in the UK for all our PFAS testing.

If you are concerned about the levels of PFAS in your mains water supply and would like to have your water supply tested, we offer this service for a charge, to cover the costs of the UK laboratory and courier fees.

To request a test, you can contact our Customer Services team:
Contact Customer Services – Jersey Water

PFAS pollution is present in some private boreholes and wells, associated with the contamination from the historic use of airport firefighting foam.

Jersey Water is not responsible for and does not look after any private water supplies in the Island.

The Government of Jersey monitors the quality and quantity of groundwater and further information is available on the Government website.

Environmental Health can provide health advice on the safety of your private water supply.

Our Water Quality team is always happy to answer any queries you may have about your water supply or concerns about PFAS in drinking water.

If you do your own research on PFAS, we suggest you check that any sources you consult are credible and verified. There is a lot of inaccurate information being circulated.  

Here are some helpful sources:

Government of Jersey – PFAS in Jersey
PFAS in Jersey

DWI fact sheets for Consumers 2024:
https://dwi.gov.uk/pfas-and-forever-chemicals

DWI PFAS Guidance for Water Companies August 2024:
https://dwi-production-files.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/22155613/DWI_PFAS-Guidance_Aug-2024_FINAL-2.pdf

EPI Results 2024:
https://epi.yale.edu/measure/2024/EPI  

EU Drinking Water Directive. December 2020:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2020/2184/oj

Final PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (US). April 2024:
https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas

Independent PFAS Advisory Panel for Jersey, Second Report. November 2024:
https://www.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Health%20and%20wellbeing/Report%202%20Health%20 impacts%20of%20PFAS.pdf

PFOS and PFOA in Drinking-water, Background document for development of WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. September 2022:
https://www.cmbg3.com/library/WHO-Draft-Drinking-Water-Document.pdf  

Water (Jersey) Law 1972 (as amended):
https://www.jerseylaw.je/laws/current/Pages/27.700.aspx