(20 July 2025) The Saint-Louis area in France, with a population of 80,000 inhabitants, has prohibited vulnerable people, including children under 2 years old, breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women, and frail elderly people, from drinking tap water because of high PFAS pollution. PFAS concentrations in tap water in the area exceed the EU PFAS standards, which will take effect in January 2026. Approximately 3,000 affected individuals will receive a payment of 80 euros to purchase bottled water. “Currently, we are talking about peaks here and there… [But PFAS] will be everywhere in France. It will be the same in Germany, in Switzerland, in the UK, and everywhere”, said a resident. “Even if we are not fragile, we are scared”, said another one. Saint-Louis plans to install new water treatment plants costing 20 million euros, hoping to make the water drinkable again by December. The new system will then cost 600,000 euros per year to run. The PFAS contamination in the area’s tap water is assumed to originate from the use of firefighting foam at the nearby airport. A local residents’ association wants the airport to pay for the costs of the new water treatment system.
The Guardian, press article on the story (July 2025)
Agglomération de Saint-Louis, Présence de PFAS dans l’eau de l’agglomération de Saint-Louis (20 June 2025)
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