Bluewater, an innovator in eco-friendly water purification and beverage solutions, has identified alarming levels of toxic ‘forever’ chemicals, specifically PFOA and PFOS, in London’s tap water. Research links these substances to a range of health issues, including cancer, high cholesterol, thyroid problems, liver damage, asthma, allergies, reduced fertility, birth defects, and developmental delays.
Samples of tap water collected by Bluewater’s research team from Harrow, Heathrow, and Battersea have underscored the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2023 warning that the UK is behind other advanced nations in setting safe levels for dangerous PFAS chemicals in drinking water. The samples were analysed by an independent bio-analytical testing firm for PFAS chemicals, with a focus on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS).
The investigation by Bluewater found that the sample from Harrow contained PFOS levels at 14 nanograms per litre (ng/l), exceeding the maximum limit suggested by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), which has criticized the UK’s regulatory measures as ‘not fit for purpose’.
In its critical policy report, the RSC highlighted the UK’s shortfall in PFAS regulation compared to global benchmarks. For example, the contamination levels identified in the Bluewater research in London’s water would be six times over the limit under Sweden’s upcoming drinking water regulations – a 550 percent exceedance!
The samples from the other two sites also revealed concerning levels of PFOA and PFOS contaminants, which, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, have no safe level and should ideally have a “Maximum Contaminant Limit” (MCL) goal of zero.
Dr Ahmed Fawzy, Bluewater’s Chief Research Scientist, expressed his deep concern about these findings. He remarked, “The results of the study are deeply disturbing. Discovering PFAS-related chemicals in London’s drinking water at such high levels raises serious health concerns that require immediate attention as they exceed thresholds that consumer protection bodies in the EU and US deem harmful to human health.”
He also pointed out the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE)’s recognition of the critical need for statutory PFAS monitoring and regulation, calling the current UK PFAS thresholds “confusing”. Dr Fawzy urges local and national health bodies to promptly respond to the RSC’s call for a significant 90% reduction in the maximum guideline level from 100 ng/l to 10 ng/L.
The discovery of PFAS compounds such as PFOS and PFOA in drinking water is particularly concerning due to their associated health risks. These chemicals are ubiquitously present around the world, in soil, surface water, and drinking water, due to their broad application in various consumer products. It has been found that 35 percent of water bodies tested in England and 37 percent in Wales contain medium to high-risk concentrations of PFOS and PFOA.
Philip Russell, Bluewater’s Chief Purpose Officer, stated the company’s commitment to cooperating with London’s city officials and bolstering health authority initiatives to enhance awareness and regulation surrounding water quality and healthy hydration practices.
“Bluewater aspires to improve worldwide access to clean, safe, and sustainable drinking water and our London investigation underlines how our mission is more critical than ever,” stated Philip Russell. He also emphasized Bluewater’s dedication to transforming hydration habits, reducing the dependency on single-use plastics, and introducing advanced technologies for ensuring safe and healthy drinking water.
Philip Russell added, “Bluewater’s ground-breaking range of under-sink purifiers enable consumers and businesses to end their reliance on bottled water while restoring trust in the water flowing directly from their taps. Bluewater SuperiorOsmosis™ reverse osmosis technology successfully removes PFAS chemical pollutants from contaminated drinking water at the same time as dramatically reducing the water wastage and energy consumption common to traditional RO technology, further reinforcing our company-wide commitment to sustainability.”
