Greenpeace finds PFAS levels in West Netherlands tap water exceed RIVM advice
Greenpeace’s analysis shows that tap water in large parts of West Netherlands contains PFAS concentrations higher than the RIVM’s recommended limit, though still below the EU legal maximum.
Greenpeace examined recent water-quality data from ten Dutch drinking-water companies and concluded that PFAS levels in tap water across much of West Netherlands surpass the advisory threshold set by the Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM). While the European Union allows up to 100 ng of PFAS per litre, the RIVM recommends a stricter limit of 4.4 ng/L based on emerging research linking low-level exposure to immune-system effects.
Measurements in locations such as Zaandam and IJmuiden reached 14.3 ng/L, well above the RIVM’s advice but still compliant with EU law. PWN, which supplies most of Noord-Holland, says the contamination stems from surface-water intake from the IJsselmeer and the Lek, both influenced by pollutants carried by the Rhine and other trans-national water flows. The water company calls for tighter monitoring and broader bans on PFAS, while assuring consumers that the water meets all statutory standards and remains safe to drink. Greenpeace urges continued tap-water consumption and stresses that the real solution lies in halting ongoing PFAS production and discharge by the chemical industry.
