22.10.2024 | Fundamental right
Worrying amount of PFAS in Ciney's drinking water
In the centre of Ciney, there was more than twice as much TFA in the drinking water as the future European standard of 500 nanograms per litre (ng/l) for all PFAS chemicals, which may apply from the beginning of 2026.
Following the media interest last year, the Walloon Region launched a region-wide monitoring program for TFA in water intended for human consumption. The results are expected soon, but the figures already presented from the municipality of Ciney, located in an area with intensive agriculture, especially cereals, are alarming:
- 1100 ng/l in the city of Ciney
- 1600 ng/l in the city of Pessoux
- 2400 ng/l in the city of Braibant
Following the announcement of these results, the municipal council decided the following during its meeting last September:
- To ask the Ministers of Health, Environment and Agriculture to apply the precautionary principle until the non-toxicity of the PFAS molecules in these pesticides can be demonstrated.
- To demand that the new standard from the European Drinking Water Directive be applied, which limits the presence of all PFAS [including TFA] to 500 ng/l.
TFA pollution is a major and growing problem. Since there are no effective means to remove it from drinking water, there is only one viable solution: an immediate ban on all PFAS pesticides and other substances that break down into TFA. Grondrecht calls for a ban on these chemicals to protect our water and our health.
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