Firms ordered to reduce forever chemicals in drinking water sources for 6 million people

By Esme Stallard, Becky Dale, and Wesley Stephenson | BBC | November 2, 2025

Read the full article by Esme Stallard, Becky Dale, and Wesley Stephenson (BBC)

"Water companies have been ordered to tackle potentially harmful levels of so-called forever chemicals in drinking water sources for more than six million people, the BBC can reveal.

Forever chemicals, or PFAS, are a group of thousands of substances used in everyday products. They are persistent pollutants which build up in the environment, and a small number have been linked to increased risk of some serious illnesses.

The BBC examined 23 enforcement notices issued by the Drinking Water Inspectorate over elevated levels of PFAS which could "constitute a potential danger to human health" to see how many people were affected."

 

Location:

• Europe
• EuropeUK

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• SourcesManufacturing facilities
• Environment
• Wildlife
• Health
• Regulations
• Litigation
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data