Forever Chemicals in Australian Drinking Water: A Review of New Evidence

A new study led by UNSW and published in Nature Geoscience has revealed alarming levels of PFAS contamination in global surface and groundwater. The research indicates that a significant portion of the world's water sources exceed safe drinking limits for PFAS. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and hormonal disruptions, with causal relationships still under investigation.

This post discusses the study's findings, particularly focusing on the implications for Australia. We have an entire post devoted to the history, chemistry and health implications of PFAS, which you can read here.

PFAS in Australia’s Water

Australia's regulatory framework for PFAS in drinking water is less stringent than other countries. Health Canada limits the sum of all PFAS to 30 ng/L, the European Union recommends keeping the total PFAS concentration below 500 ng/L, and the US proposes limits of 4 ng/L for PFOS and PFOA. Australia regulates PFOS at 70ng/L and PFOA at 560 ng/L, which is significantly higher than the US limit, highlighting the need for a review of Australia’s PFAS regulations to align with global best practices.

Widespread Contamination

The study revealed that 69% of global groundwater samples without known contamination sources exceeded Canada’s safe drinking water criteria, while 32% exceeded the US's proposed hazard index. Given these findings, it is plausible that Australian water sources, especially those near industrial sites or military bases, are also significantly contaminated. The study also explains that despite Australia having no PFAS manufacturing facilities, there are contamination hot spots due to the concentrated use of firefighting foams.

Are You Exposed?

According to publicly available data, PFAS chemicals have been detected in the drinking water of up to 1.8 million Australians since 2010. The Sydney Morning Herald reported PFAS contaminants in drinking water in the Sydney suburbs of Blacktown, Campbeltown, Emu Plains, Liverpool, North Richmond and Quakers Hill. The chemicals were also found in tap water in Canberra, Footscray in Melbourne, Adelaide, the regional Queensland cities of Cairns and Gladstone, Kingborough in Hobart, and Darwin.

Monitoring and Regulation Challenges

One of the critical issues identified is the underestimation of PFAS contamination due to limited monitoring. There are more than 14,000 PFAS chemicals registered on the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard, most of which are not even monitored. Only a small subset PFAS chemicals are routinely tested, which means the actual environmental burden is likely much higher than current data suggests.

In Australia, water providers like Sydney Water do not routinely measure the broad range of PFAS potentially present in drinking water, leading to significant gaps in understanding and mitigating exposure risks.

Mitigation and Responsibility

To address these challenges, Australia must improve its PFAS monitoring and regulation by expanding the range of compounds tested, setting stricter limits, investing in degradation technologies, and conducting thorough assessments. Prof. Denis O’Carroll and other researchers are working on predictive models to understand and mitigate contamination. Both manufacturers and consumers should take extreme caution when considering the use of these chemicals.

What Can You Do?

• Filter Drinking Water: Use a high-quality water filter, like reverse osmosis, certified to remove PFAS.

• Choose PFAS-Free Products: Select cookware, food packaging, and personal care items labelled as PFAS-free.

• Be Cautious with Food Sources: Avoid foods likely to contain PFAS, such as certain seafood and items in grease-proof packaging.

• Avoid Stain and Water Repellents: Opt for natural alternatives to products claiming stain or water repellence.

• Support Environmental Regulations: Advocate for stricter PFAS regulations and encourage companies to find safer alternatives.

The Bottom Line

Whenever we see research like this it seems so stupid. We know these chemicals are persistent in the environment and dangerous to life, yet continue to use them. Then somehow, we are surprised that they are in our water supply.

The key takeaway from any research regarding PFAS is the following.

• These chemicals do not belong inside living organisms, they are harmful to life.

• Regulations will not save you, there are too many to regulate.

• You will continue to accumulate PFAS in your body, regardless of how much you try to avoid them.

The only thing you can do is become educated on where they are, how they enter your body, and reduce your exposure as much as possible. Rest assured, your thyroid cancer is not going to wait for regulatory guidelines before it metastasises.  

For more detailed insights into the study and its findings, you can refer to the published paper in Nature Geoscience here.