Tap water across North and South Holland contains PFAS concentrations that exceed health guidelines recommended by the public health institute RIVM, according to analysis by Greenpeace.
The RIVM advises that PFAS levels should remain below 4.4 nanograms per litre of water, though the current European legal limit is set much higher at 100 nanograms per litre.
Readings across the provinces
Measurements around The Hague showed concentrations between 8.3 and 8.7 nanograms per litre. The Rijnmond region recorded 6.6 nanograms per litre.
Higher concentrations appeared in North Holland, with Amsterdam tap water containing 9.3 nanograms per litre, while Alkmaar and Den Helder reached 11.6 nanograms per litre. Levels in IJmuiden and Zaandam reached as high as 14.2 nanograms.
Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Vincent Karremans has stated that he is working to tackle PFAS pollution in drinking water.
Water remains safe for consumption
Both Greenpeace and the RIVM stated that the tap water remains safe to drink. The institute noted that health effects depend on factors such as overall exposure, age, and general health.
The RIVM also pointed out that food and packaging represent a much larger source of exposure, with people typically ingesting three times as much PFAS through their diet than through drinking water.
