For municipalities, water utilities and industrial companies, addressing PFAS increasingly requires demonstrable water quality control. European rules connect limits, contaminant monitoring and action when limits are exceeded. Sound planning starts by distinguishing drinking water from wastewater and other water types.
Drinking water: requirements apply from January 2026
From 12 January 2026 PFAS requirements under the recast Drinking Water Directive (EU) 2020/2184 apply. The values are 0.10 µg/l for Sum of PFAS and 0.50 µg/l for PFAS Total, equivalent to 100 and 500 ng/l respectively. Member States may use either or both parameters. They are not interchangeable: a sum of selected compounds and a broader group parameter require appropriate analytical approaches. European Commission: implementation of the directive.
Measurement: what the laboratory actually determines matters
In 2024, the European Commission issued technical guidelines for monitoring both parameters. When commissioning analysis, we therefore define its purpose, the PFAS covered and the appropriate method. Sampling, sample handling and quantification limits are agreed in advance. Results must support comparison with the required value; measuring just a few compounds does not automatically provide a complete picture. European Commission: monitoring PFAS in drinking water.
Removal: the aim is suitable water quality
Exceedances require action to reduce PFAS, protect health and inform the public. Options include additional treatment, closure of a contaminated source or restrictions on drinking water use. The rules do not prescribe a particular commercial filtration technology; they require an appropriate outcome. European Commission: action on exceedances.
At ECO ELEMENT, we design instrAction solutions based on inlet water analysis and the required outlet water quality. Laboratory or pilot testing helps establish configuration, flow rate and replacement intervals. Monitoring includes measurements before and after filtration and a plan for spent filters.
Wastewater: a separate framework and project requirements
The recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (EU) 2024/3019 introduces stricter requirements, including further treatment of micropollutants. Drinking water limits should therefore not be applied directly to treatment plant effluent. Projects must consider applicable national requirements, discharge conditions and implementation deadlines. European Commission: urban wastewater.
A practical first step is to review existing analyses, the water source and treatment objectives. We then prepare a measurement plan and a technical solution whose performance can be monitored during operation.
