Since January 12, 2026, the European Union has for the first time imposed common limit values for PFAS in drinking water. In France, more than 3.4 million analyses are now publicly accessible. This is not an alert. It is an update.
What are PFAS?
PFAS stands for "per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances". These synthetic chemical compounds have been used since the 1950s in thousands of everyday products: food packaging, non-stick coatings, firefighting foams, waterproof textiles.
What distinguishes them from other pollutants is their chemical stability. Carbon-fluorine bonds are among the strongest known. These molecules do not naturally degrade in the environment. They accumulate in soils, groundwater, and living organisms. Hence their nickname: "forever pollutants".
There are several thousand variants. Some have been monitored for years, such as PFOA and PFOS. Others, shorter and highly soluble like TFA, are still poorly regulated.
What Changes in 2026
A First in the European Union
Before 2026, each member state set its own thresholds, with significant differences from country to country. The new directive changes that: two limit values now apply everywhere in the EU.
| Parameter | Limit value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Sum of 20 targeted PFAS | 0.10 µg/L | The most monitored PFAS (including PFOA, PFOS) |
| Total sum of detected PFAS | 0.50 µg/L | All measured PFAS, regardless of their nature |
In France: Data is Public
The Ministry of Ecological Transition updated its PFAS monitoring map in September 2026. It includes more than 3.4 million analyses from controls of drinking water, surface water, and groundwater.
Official data
PFAS monitoring map in France
In Switzerland: A Consultation in Progress
Switzerland is following the same movement. A federal consultation on the update of PFAS limit values in drinking water is underway in autumn 2026, led by FOEN. The new Swiss standards will progressively align with the European framework.
Filtration Against PFAS: What We Really Know
Not all filtration technologies behave the same way against PFAS. This is a point that is often poorly explained in marketing communications.
No universal solution yet
No consumer technology today can eliminate all PFAS. Very short PFAS like TFA are particularly difficult to capture, even with the best available technologies. This is a fact we prefer to explain rather than work around.
Pressurised activated carbon, used in Coldstream FTO+ cartridges, shows measurable results on certain PFAS, particularly PFOA and PFOS. Available data indicates a significant reduction of these two substances under test conditions. For very short-chain PFAS, results are more limited.
Want to see the concrete figures? We have published all our laboratory results.
See the resultsOur position: to give you real data, not promises. What our filters do well, what they do less well, and why.
Key Takeaways
- PFAS have been regulated in a harmonised way across the EU since January 2026.
- In France, monitoring data is public and can be consulted by municipality.
- Switzerland is progressively aligning its regulations with the European framework.
- Activated carbon filtration significantly reduces certain PFAS (PFOA, PFOS) according to available tests. It does not cover all known PFAS.
- No solution covers the entire PFAS spectrum today. This is a reality of the current state of research.
Sources: European Commission · Directive (EU) 2020/2184 · Ministry of Ecological Transition (PFAS map, Sept. 2026) · FOEN / Bafu (federal consultation, autumn 2026)