PFAS Forever Chemicals
Concerned about PFAS forever chemicals in your water? Our advanced water filtration systems are designed to reduce PFAS and other persistent contaminants, giving your family cleaner safer drinking water. Get your water tested and choose proven protection for your home today.
PFAS in Drinking Water: How to Remove Forever Chemicals and Protect Your Family
They are called chemicals forever for a reason. PFAS , or per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a family of over 4,000 synthetic chemicals that do not break down in the environment or in the human body. Once they enter drinking water supplies, they stay there. Once absorbed by the body, they accumulate. And the health implications of long term exposure to PFAS are becoming clearer, and more concerning, with each new wave of scientific research.
If you have heard about forever chemicals in the news or wondered whether your drinking water might be affected, this guide is for you. We explain what PFAS chemicals are, where they come from, what the science says about the immune system and other health impacts, and what you can do right now to make your household’s drinking water as PFAS free as possible.
What Are PFAS Chemicals?
PFAS is an acronym for per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a broad group of synthetic chemicals developed from the 1940s onwards for their unique ability to repel water, oil, and heat simultaneously. PFOA and PFOSare the two most widely studied and most concerning compounds in this group, though the PFAS family encompasses thousands of related synthetic chemicals with varying properties and risk profiles.
The same properties that make PFAS chemicals so useful in manufacturing, their resistance to heat, water, oil, and chemical degradation, are exactly what makes them so problematic in the environment. Unlike most chemical compounds that break down over time through natural processes, PFOA and PFOSand their PFAS relatives persist essentially indefinitely in soil, water, and living organisms. This is why they earned the nickname forever chemicals, and why their presence in drinking water supplies is a matter of genuine and growing public concern around the world.
Where Do PFAS Come From?
PFAS chemicals, often called forever chemicals, enter water supplies through industrial activities, firefighting foams, manufacturing processes, and waste disposal. They can also leach into groundwater from landfills, airports, and military sites. Because PFAS do not easily break down in the environment, they can persist in soil and water for decades, potentially affecting drinking water quality in nearby communities.
Industrial and Military Sources
The most significant sources of PFAS contamination in Australian drinking water supplies are firefighting foams, particularly aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) used at military bases, airports, and industrial fire training facilities. PFOA and PFOSwere key ingredients in these foams for decades, and their use resulted in widespread groundwater and soil contamination at sites across Australia. In some regions, this contamination has migrated into municipal water supplies and private bores, exposing nearby communities to high levels of PFAS chemicals without their knowledge.
The australian government has identified numerous sites across the country where PFAS contamination from historical firefighting foam use has impacted surrounding communities. Investigations and remediation programs are ongoing, and both the Australian government and state environmental protection agency authorities continue to update their response frameworks as new evidence about PFAS levels and health impacts becomes available.
Everyday Consumer Products
Beyond industrial sources, PFAS chemicals are found in a remarkable range of everyday consumer products that most Australians use without thinking. Non stick cookware, water resistant clothing, carpets and upholstery, food packaging, including fast food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags, stain resistant fabric treatments, and personal care products have all historically used PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, in their manufacturing. These consumer products contribute to PFAS entering the environment through manufacturing runoff, landfill leachate, and wastewater treatment plant discharge. Because PFAS do not break down, the PFAS chemicals that entered the environment from food packaging and water resistant consumer products manufactured decades ago are still present in soils, waterways, and groundwater today, contributing to cumulative contamination of drinking water supplies in many parts of Australia.
PFAS in Australian Drinking Water: What the Research Shows
Studies in the united states and across Europe have detected PFAS levels in drinking water serving hundreds of millions of people. In the United Estates, the environmental Protection Agency introduced strict maximum contaminant limits for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water in 2024, reflecting the growing scientific consensus that no level of exposure to PFAS can be considered entirely safe.
In Australia, the Australian drinking water guidelines include health based guidance values for specific PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS. The Australian government has conducted PFAS investigations in areas near known contamination sites, and state environmental protection agencies are actively monitoring affected regions. However, national PFAS testing of municipal drinking water supplies is not yet as comprehensive or systematic as in some other countries, which means some households may be exposed to PFAS without being aware of it.
Clean and Great-Tasting Drinking Water
Filtered water removes chlorine taste and chemical odours, providing fresher drinking water from every tap in your home.
Better Skin, Hair, and Shower Experience
Reducing chlorine exposure can help water feel gentler on skin and hair, improving everyday shower comfort.
Appliance Protection and Scale Reduction
Filtration helps reduce mineral buildup that can affect dishwashers, washing machines, hot water systems, and other appliances.
Peace of Mind for the Whole Household
Enjoy the confidence of knowing your water supply is treated before reaching every tap throughout your home.
Health Impacts of PFAS Exposure
The body of research linking exposure to PFAS to adverse health outcomes is substantial and continues to grow. The PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, that have been most extensively studied are associated with a range of immune system effects, hormonal disruption, and increased risk of certain cancers. In both the United States and international research contexts, populations exposed to PFAS at high levels have shown elevated rates of kidney and testicular cancers, thyroid disruption, and increased cholesterol levels.
Of particular concern is the effect of PFAS chemicals on the immune system. Research suggests that exposure to elevated PFAS levels may reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, impair the body’s immune response to infections, and disrupt normal immune system development in infants and children. Given that PFOA and PFOS accumulate in the body over time, even moderate, ongoing exposure to PFAS through drinking water can result in high levels accumulating over years or decades.
The Australian government‘s position, aligned with the Australian drinking water guidelines, acknowledges evidence of harm at elevated PFAS levels and recommends that communities in known affected areas seek alternative drinking water sources or implement appropriate treatment until supplies are confirmed to be PFAS free.
How to Make Your Drinking Water PFAS Free
For households concerned about PFAS in their drinking water, the best first step is testing. A NATA accredited laboratory water test for PFAS including PFOA and PFOS will tell you what PFAS levels are present in your specific supply. Once you have that data, you can choose the right filtration approach with confidence.
Reverse osmosis is the most effective residential technology for achieving PFAS free drinking water. A high quality under sink reverse osmosis system removes PFAS chemicals at 90 per cent or higher through a semi permeable membrane, producing PFAS free water for all drinking and cooking needs. High grade activated carbon block filters also remove PFAS to a significant degree, and for many households, these are the most practical starting point.
For households wanting the most comprehensive protection, a whole house system combined with an under sink reverse osmosis unit provides the most thorough approach to PFAS free household water. The Australian drinking water guidelines provide a benchmark, but for families who want to go beyond the regulatory minimum and genuinely remove PFAS from their daily drinking water, a certified reverse osmosis system is the most reliable path. Contact our team today to discuss the right approach for your home.
Book Your Professional Water Quality Test Today!
Concerned about chlorine, hard water, heavy metals, PFAS, bore water contamination, or bacteria in your drinking water? The first step to safer, cleaner water is a professional home water test. Our experts analyse your water supply and recommend the right water filtration system for your home. Discover exactly what is in your water and get clear advice on whole house filters, reverse osmosis systems, or under sink water filters designed for Australian conditions.
Professional service, clear advice, and a filtration system that delivers consistent results. A smart upgrade for any household concerned about water quality.
Frequently Asked Questions About Whole House Water Filters
PFAS stands for per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a large and diverse group of synthetic chemicals that have been manufactured and used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. The nickname forever chemicals comes from their extraordinary resistance to environmental degradation. Unlike most chemical compounds, which break down over time through heat, light, water, or microbial action, PFAS chemicals are designed to resist exactly these processes. The carbon fluorine bonds in PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, are among the strongest in chemistry, which makes them so useful in water and heat resistant applications.
This same stability means that once PFAS chemicals enter the environment, they persist essentially indefinitely. They accumulate in soils, travel through groundwater, contaminate drinking water supplies, and bioaccumulate in the immune system and tissues of animals and humans. The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Australian government both recognise PFAS as a serious environmental and public health concern precisely because of this persistence. The PFAS levels in some waterways and groundwater sources continue to rise decades after the consumer products and industrial processes that caused the contamination were discontinued.
Whether you are at elevated risk of PFAS exposure through your tap water depends primarily on your location and water source. Households near former or current military bases, airports, industrial fire training facilities, or manufacturing plants that historically used PFAS chemicals are at higher risk of having contaminated groundwater or surface water entering their drinking water supplies. In Australia, the Australian government has identified multiple sites across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia where PFAS contamination from firefighting foam use is a confirmed issue.
For households on bore water or private wells near any of these sites, the risk of being exposed to PFAS at high levels is real, and testing is strongly recommended. For households on municipal drinking water supplies, the risk is lower but not negligible, as the Environmental Protection Agency and water utilities in some states are still working to fully characterise PFAS levels across the distribution network. The Australian drinking water guidelines provide guidance values for PFOA and PFOS, but comprehensive national monitoring of all municipal supplies is still developing. A professional water test is the only definitive way to know if you are being exposed to PFAS through your specific supply.
Yes. Reverse osmosis is one of the most effective residential technologies for achieving PFAS free drinking water. The semi permeable membrane in a quality RO system has pore sizes that physically block PFAS chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS, at the molecular level, achieving removal rates of 90 per cent or higher in independently tested systems. This makes reverse osmosis the most reliable way to remove PFAS from your household drinking water at the point of use.
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) both recognise reverse osmosis as an effective technology for removing PFAS from drinking water, and NSF certification for PFAS removal is available for qualifying systems. High quality activated carbon block filters also remove PFAS to a meaningful degree, and for households with moderate PFAS levels, a high grade carbon system may be sufficient. For households in confirmed contamination areas or those wanting maximum confidence in their PFAS free status, a multi stage reverse osmosis system is the recommended approach. Armour Water can help you select and install the right certified system based on your water test results and location.
Testing for PFAS chemicals in your drinking water requires a NATA accredited laboratory capable of detecting these compounds at the parts per trillion (ppt) levels required for meaningful results. Standard residential water test kits sold at hardware stores do not test for PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, and cannot give you any useful information about PFAS contamination. Professional laboratory testing is the only reliable option.
Armour Water offers professional water testing services, including PFAS analysis, through our NATA accredited laboratory partner. We arrange sample collection from your property, handle the chain of custody to ensure sample integrity, and provide you with a clear report of PFAS levels detected in your supply, along with an interpretation of the results relative to the Australian drinking water guidelines. If results confirm you are being exposed to PFAS at levels that warrant action, our team immediately discuss the appropriate filtration solution to make your drinking water PFAS free. Contact our team to arrange PFAS testing for your Melbourne, Perth, or broader Australian property.
PFAS have been used in a remarkable range of everyday consumer products over the past several decades. The most widely recognised examples are non stick cookware coatings, water resistant clothing treatments, stain resistant carpet and upholstery finishes, food packaging materials, including fast food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes, dental floss, and some personal care products. Many of these consumer products have used PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, in their manufacturing processes, with synthetic chemicals either present in the finished product or released during manufacturing.
The connection to drinking water contamination primarily occurs through manufacturing and disposal pathways. PFAS containing consumer products and the industrial processes that produce them have released PFAS into wastewater streams, landfill leachate, and manufacturing plant runoff. These pathways contaminate groundwater and surface waterways that may eventually contribute to drinking water supplies. The Australian government and the Environmental Protection Agency in each state are progressively developing and tightening regulations around PFAS use in consumer products and industrial discharge, but the legacy of decades of food packaging and water resistant product manufacturing means significant contamination already exists in some drinking water supplies that will persist for the foreseeable future.