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PFAS are chemical substances used for their non-stick, waterproof, and heat-resistant properties. They are found in various products: textiles, food packaging, firefighting foams, industrial coatings, and pesticides.
The problem is that they persist in the environment, infiltrate soils, contaminate groundwater, and end up in tap water.
This pollution poses a real health issue. Several PFAS are already associated with cancers, hormonal disorders, and immune system damage.
And this water contamination is not limited to a few isolated areas. It is now widely spread across France. According to analyses conducted by UFC-Que Choisir and Générations Futures, 96% of the tested municipalities showed traces of PFAS in their drinking water.
No region seems to be spared from this pollution, although at varying rates. To find out if your municipality is affected, here is the list of useful links: interactive maps, latest analysis results…
PFAS in tap water: all of France affected
The data is clear. The presence of PFAS in distributed drinking water is no longer exceptional.
Analyses conducted by UFC-Que Choisir and Générations Futures in early 2025 detected the presence of PFAS in 29 out of 30 samples taken in France. 96% of the tested municipalities thus showed traces of PFAS in their tap water. This includes Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, as well as Amiens, Orléans, Poitiers, Tours, and the surroundings of Rouen.
In other words, contamination is not limited to large metropolitan areas or industrial zones. It clearly crosses every region, despite the monitoring and regulatory control by the Regional Health Agencies (ARS) in France.
Some concerning molecules such as TFA (a particularly persistent compound belonging to the PFAS family) have also been found in 24 out of 30 samples.
In cities like Tours or near Rouen, analyses even revealed a true chemical cocktail: up to 11 different PFAS detected in a single sample.
Which municipalities are most affected by PFAS?
If, as we have just seen, PFAS contamination in tap water concerns the entire French territory, some regions have recently crossed particularly high rates.
In several municipalities in the Ardennes, 3000 inhabitants have been deprived of drinking water since July 2025.
Since June 2026, it is the residents of the municipality of Aubord near Nîmes who are deprived of running water due to PFAS.
According to the latest reports from Selectra, here are the municipalities affected by a surpassing of the maximum tolerated PFAS levels in tap water :
| Network | Served municipalities | Last published reading |
| JUVIGNY SUR LOISON | Juvigny-sur-Loison | 3.7 µg/L, recorded on 01/06/2026 |
| LOUPPY SUR LOISON | Louppy-sur-Loison | 3 µg/L, recorded on 08/06/2026 |
| VILLY | Villy | 2.255 µg/L, recorded on 09/12/2025 |
| HAN LES JUVIGNY | Han-lès-Juvigny | 1.8 µg/L, recorded on 01/06/2026 |
| MALANDRY | Malandry | 0.634 µg/L, recorded on 09/12/2025 |
| S20 VALLEE DE LA CHIERS | Linay, Blagny | 0.623 µg/L, recorded on 20/05/2026 |
| SIAEP DE BREUCHES | Visoncourt, Villers-lès-Luxeuil, La Villedieu-en-Fontenette (+12 others) | 0.513 µg/L, recorded on 08/06/2026 |
| REMOIVILLE | Remoiville | 0.21 µg/L, recorded on 08/06/2026 |
| MARIAC TRAPAYAC | Mariac | 0.2 µg/L, recorded on 29/06/2026 |
| AUBORD | Aubord | 0.148 µg/L, recorded on 23/06/2026 |
| PLONEVEZ-DU-FAOU (RUSQUEC) | Collorec, Plonévez-du-Faou | 0.141 µg/L, recorded on 16/06/2026 |
| RAMBOUILLET | Rambouillet | 0.134 µg/L, recorded on 19/06/2026 |
| THIL NIEVROZ | Thil, Niévroz | 0.133 µg/L, recorded on 26/06/2026 |
| RENAGE – CRIEL | Renage | 0.128 µg/L, recorded on 23/07/2025 |
It should be noted that these controls only focus on about twenty PFAS, while the family includes several thousand!
PFAS: what does French law provide?
Since January 2026, new measures have been taken. The search for 20 PFAS is officially mandatory as part of the health control of water, conducted by the Regional Health Agencies (ARS), in accordance with the European directive of 2020 (EDCH).
The regulatory limit set at 0.1 µg/L, or 100 ng/L, applies to the sum of these 20 substances in drinking water.
On paper, this is an advancement. In practice, these analyses are still too weak.
The decree n° 2025-1287, published on December 24, 2025, adds only two substances to the 20 PFAS provided by European regulation: TFA and 6:2 FTSA. And these two molecules will only be integrated into health control starting from January 2027.
In other words, in 2026, official monitoring mainly focuses on 20 PFAS while the family includes several thousand.
Several scientific actors believe that the effort is insufficient. ANSES recommends including three additional PFAS in addition to TFA and 6:2 FTSA: 8:2 FTSA, MeFOSA, and EtFOSA.
ANSES also emphasizes the extent of TFA’s presence. Data shows that this molecule has been found at more than 100 ng/L in 92.2% of analyzed drinking water samples.
In parallel, the law n° 2025-188 of February 27, 2025, has initiated the gradual ban on certain products containing PFAS. Since January 1, 2026, cosmetics, ski waxes, as well as certain clothing, shoes, and waterproofing agents can no longer be marketed if they contain these substances. The ban will be extended in 2030 to most textiles.
Surveillance is thus advancing on two fronts: stricter control of water in each region and a reduction of pollution sources.
But faced with persistent and massive substances, the results are still insufficient.
PFAS in tap water: what health risks?
PFAS are not mere chemical residues. They are substances designed to resist. This is why these eternal pollutants persist in the environment, particularly in drinking water. However, they also settle in our bodies.
This presence carries risks for human health. In 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified PFOA as carcinogenic and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic. Other scientific results associate prolonged exposure to PFAS with increased cholesterol, hormonal disorders, decreased fertility, and effects on the fetus. The immune system could also be weakened.
Children are particularly vulnerable. PFAS can affect growth, cognitive and behavioral development. Some studies have also observed a decrease in birth weight among exposed newborns.
In other words, the danger is progressive. These molecules remain in the blood. Each exposure adds to the previous one. And the body accumulates.
It is precisely this repeated consumption of PFAS that worries health authorities.
Does the water in your region contain PFAS?
To find out if you are part of the municipalities and regions affected by high PFAS pollution, here are the useful links:
Does your water exceed the regulatory PFAS levels?
To find out, consult:
However, be aware that when you consult this data, the absence of exceeding does not mean the total absence of pollutants in your region. The measurements focus on a limited number of substances, with thresholds defined by regulation.
However, this situation does not mean that the water is not drinkable. But it reminds us of a reality: pollution is diffuse, persistent, and difficult to eliminate through conventional treatments.
PFAS are not the only culprits. Agricultural pesticides, persistent metabolites, industrial residues, heavy metals… Almost everywhere in the country, the water distributed in municipalities contains traces of various chemicals. A contaminated tap water rarely contains a single pollutant, but rather a mixture of toxic elements.
What measures should be taken to protect one’s health?
How to reduce PFAS in your tap water?
Regulatory health control is improving, but drinking “compliant” water is no longer enough to feel reassured. In the face of these persistent pollutants, taking action at home becomes necessary.
For better water quality, solutions exist : filtering jugs, under-sink filters, reverse osmosis…
But against PFAS, not all are equal. Some are simply ineffective. Others, like reverse osmosis, waste liters of water.
Consult our dedicated article to learn more about the different purification systems and discover which water filter is truly effective against PFAS.
