Since 12 January 2026, Irish public water supplies have had to meet a legal limit for PFAS, the man-made substances known as forever chemicals. This guide explains what PFAS are, what the limit means, what the EPA and HSE have said about PFAS in Ireland so far, and what you can do at home, especially if you’re on a private well.
Quick answer
- What PFAS are: thousands of man-made chemicals used since the 1950s in non-stick, waterproof and stain-resistant products and in firefighting foam. They don’t break down, hence the name forever chemicals.
- The limit: 0.1 micrograms per litre for the ‘Sum of PFAS’, a list of 20 specific PFAS, applying in Ireland from 12 January 2026.
- Who it covers: public supplies and other regulated supplies. A private well serving one household isn’t covered.
- At home: reverse osmosis and activated carbon reduce PFAS. Boiling doesn’t, and neither does a water softener.
What are PFAS?
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large group of man-made chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1950s. Fluorine is bonded onto a carbon chain, which makes them repel water and grease. That’s why they turn up in outdoor clothing, textiles, paints, food packaging, non-stick pans and firefighting foam.
The fluorinated part of the molecule can’t be broken down by bacteria, enzymes or sunlight, so once PFAS are released they stay in the environment, and that’s where the name forever chemicals comes from. According to a joint HSE and EPA position paper published in December 2025, drinking water is one of several ways people are exposed, along with food, house dust, air and consumer products. Swallowing PFAS, mainly through food and water, is the main route. Showering, bathing or washing dishes in water with traces of PFAS is not likely to add to your exposure.
The 2026 PFAS limits explained
The recast EU Drinking Water Directive (Directive (EU) 2020/2184) came into force on 12 January 2021 and was written into Irish law in March 2023 by the European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2023, S.I. No. 99 of 2023. The PFAS limits apply from 12 January 2026, and they are measured where the water is used, which in most cases means at the tap.
| Parameter | Limit | What it covers | Used in Ireland? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sum of PFAS | 0.10 µg/L | 20 named PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS | Yes, from 12 January 2026 |
| PFAS Total | 0.50 µg/L | All PFAS combined | No. The EPA uses Sum of PFAS only |
A microgram per litre (µg/L) is a millionth of a gram in a litre, so 0.1 µg/L is one ten-millionth of a gram per litre. The Directive lets each country use one or both parameters. After consulting the HSE in 2024, the EPA chose Sum of PFAS, so that is what Uisce Éireann monitors.
If a supply goes over the limit, the water supplier must investigate, report it to the EPA, and consult the HSE where there may be a risk to health. Efforts must be made to bring levels back under the limit within a reasonable time, and a supply with a persistent problem needs an agreed plan of works with a timescale. The European Commission says the public must be informed when limits are exceeded.
PFAS in Ireland: what’s been found so far
- Rivers and lakes: the EPA has routinely monitored two of the best-known PFAS, PFOA and PFOS, in rivers and lakes since 2019. Its groundwater monitoring in 2020 found very little PFAS.
- Targeted river sites: in a 2024 campaign at 16 targeted river and lake sites, the EPA found one site, the Two Pot River in Co. Cork, above the drinking water value. The EPA stresses these were one-off samples of river water, not tap water, and can’t be used to judge compliance.
- Dublin Airport: the airport operator says PFAS was first found in 2016 in soil at a former firefighting training ground, linked to firefighting foam used in the past. It says the airport’s drinking water comes from Uisce Éireann, not from wells on site.
- Research: an EPA research project running from 2023 to 2027 is tracing PFAS from source to sink to inform a national PFAS strategy.
Testing public supplies for PFAS only became a legal requirement in January 2026. The EPA’s latest annual report, published in July 2026, covers 2025, before PFAS monitoring began, and found Irish public drinking water safe overall.
What the HSE and EPA say about health
The joint HSE and EPA paper says research suggests links between higher exposure to certain PFAS and effects such as raised cholesterol, small decreases in birth weight, a weaker response to some vaccines, kidney and testicular cancer (PFOA), high blood pressure in pregnancy and changes in liver enzymes. It is equally clear that for most of these effects, the current evidence is ‘not clear-cut or conclusive’, and that research continues into long-term, low-level exposure.
When the paper was published, health-based guideline values for PFAS in drinking water were still awaited from the World Health Organization. In the meantime, the HSE and EPA advise a precautionary approach: keep levels as low as reasonably practical.
Boiling won’t help. The HSE is clear that boiling water does not remove PFAS. If your public supply ever has a PFAS problem, follow the advice from Uisce Éireann and the HSE. A filter at the kitchen tap is an extra step for drinking and cooking water, not a substitute for that advice.
Private wells and PFAS
The drinking water regulations exempt an individual supply of less than 10 cubic metres a day, or serving fewer than 50 people, that isn’t part of a commercial or public activity. That covers a typical household well, so nobody is required to monitor it for PFAS. The risk of contamination is higher near known sources: sites where firefighting foam was used, such as airports and fire training grounds, landfills, and industrial sites that make or use PFAS.
If you want your well checked, ask an independent INAB-accredited lab whether PFAS analysis is within the scope of what they offer. If raised levels are found, the HSE recommends contacting your local authority first, as it is responsible for private water supplies. We then specify and fit treatment from the lab report. See our well water treatment page.
How to reduce PFAS at home
The HSE and EPA name three treatments shown to remove PFAS from drinking water: activated carbon, reverse osmosis and anion exchange. Here’s how the options compare for a home.
| Method | PFAS | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse osmosis (RO) | Reduces | The membrane holds back PFAS along with fluoride, lead and limescale minerals. Fitted under the sink for drinking and cooking water |
| Granular activated carbon | Reduces, best on longer-chain PFAS | Works better on PFOS and PFOA than on short-chain PFAS. Change it on schedule, because spent carbon stops working |
| Anion exchange resin | Reduces, better on shorter-chain PFAS | Specialist media, mostly used in larger or custom systems |
| Water softener | No | A softener swaps calcium and magnesium for sodium. It isn’t designed to remove PFAS |
| Boiling | No | The HSE says boiling will not remove PFAS |
For most homes, an under-sink RO system is the simplest answer, because it combines carbon stages with a membrane. The EcoSoft Standard Pro is €289.99 supply only or €449 fitted, and the tankless Aplos Angel Direct Flow is €439 or €599 fitted. Compare them on our drinking water filter page. We don’t quote PFAS removal percentages, because results depend on which PFAS are present, your water and the age of the filters. That’s also why the annual filter change matters: €89 for a DIY kit, or €150 fitted by us.
Concerned about PFAS in your water?
We supply and fit under-sink reverse osmosis systems nationwide except Donegal, Kerry, Leitrim and Sligo, where we ship supply-only. On a private well, send us your lab report and we’ll specify the right treatment.
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Common questions
What is the PFAS limit for drinking water in Ireland?
0.1 micrograms per litre for the Sum of PFAS, a list of 20 specific PFAS, from 12 January 2026.
Why are PFAS called forever chemicals?
The fluorinated part of the molecule doesn’t break down naturally, so PFAS last for a very long time in water, soil and the body.
Does boiling water remove PFAS?
No. The HSE says boiling will not remove PFAS.
Is my private well tested for PFAS?
Not routinely. A well serving one household is exempt from the monitoring, so you would need to arrange a specialist lab analysis yourself.
Is it safe to shower in water with PFAS?
The HSE and EPA say showering, bathing or washing dishes in water with traces of PFAS is not likely to increase exposure. Swallowing is what matters, which is why treatment focuses on drinking and cooking water.
Does the same filter remove microplastics and fluoride?
An RO system does. See our guides to microplastics in Irish tap water and fluoride in Irish tap water.
